Maintenance

Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and other safety legislation such as the Defective Premises Act 1972 there are certain items including safety matters which the landlord is responsible for whether or not the letting agreement specifies it:

  • The building structure and all the outside of the property, including roofs, gutters, drains, window frames and doors, gates, fences and garden sheds but not necessarily glass, garden and yard maintenance.
  • Water, gas, electricity, drainage and sewarage and toilet installations.
  • Heating and hot water systems.
  • Furniture and furnishings must meet fire safety standards.
  • Gas appliances and flues must be tested annually by a CORGI registered fitter and a
    certificate issued to the tenant.
  • Hard wired smoke alarms when fitted should be maintained.
  • The electrical appliances and system should be safe.

Tenants would normally be expected to carry out basic household maintenance which should be spelled out in the tenancy agreement, including: broken glass, sink and toilet blockages, light bulbs, fuses and replacing batteries in smoke alarms.

In general, whatever is provided as part of the property and can be used by the tenant as part of the agreement, should be repaired by the landlord unless it can be considered perishable (would normally only last a matter of months i.e. vacuum cleaner or cooker hood filters), renewable (can be replaced at minor expense i.e. bulbs, batteries and fuses) or missused/accidentally damaged by the occupants or guests.

Where a maintenance issue is reported, we will endeavour to advise the landlord in advance of arranging for a contractor to visit the property where required by the owner.  In some cases however, it may be considered more beneficial to effect a repair before possible further damage is caused.