Repairs to rental properties

The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Housing Act 1988 make the Landlord responsible in law (regardless of the tenancy agreement) for maintaining the following:

• The structure, roof, and exterior of the property
• The drains, gutters and rainwater goods
• The supply of water, gas, electricity and sanitation
• The installations for water heating and space heating

You therefore have a statutory obligation to repair these items in the event of a defect. You also have a contractual obligation to maintain ‘white goods’ and all other fixtures, fittings and equipment which has been provided for the tenants use, unless a fault is caused by an action or neglect of the tenant, his invited guests or his visitors. Under Full Management Service any necessary repairs or maintenance reported by your tenant or identified through our property visits will be carried out within pre-agreed limits. We contact contractors who will deal with repairs promptly. If you have your own preferred contractors we may be able to instruct them on your behalf. Wherever practical or necessary we will obtain estimates except in cases of emergency. When we need to instruct contractors without consent we need the confidence of our clients to use our discretion in this respect. For this purpose we require you to authorize a fixed sum to be held by us during the tenancy so funds are always avail able for emergency repairs. However we would not normally incur expense on your behalf in excess of the pre – agreed limit without your authority except in the case of an emergency. The cost of all repairs and servicing is your responsibility The tenant will be responsible for keeping the interior of the property clean and decorated to the same standard as you left it subject to normal wear and tear. They will be expected to change fuses and light bulbs and pay for the material repair of any item, which has been damaged through their action or inaction.