Duties of Good Landlords towards Their Tenants
As a landlord, probably you will be aware that there are a number of vital responsibilities that tag along when you let your property. There are certain processes and rules that could differ depending on the type of tenancies, but the general responsibilities that are government based in London include:
· Ensuring the rented property is safe and free from health hazards
· Making sure that all electrical and gas equipment you supply is maintained and used properly
· Provide an energy performance certificate for your property
· Follow necessary fire safety regulations
· Protect your tenants deposit in an approved scheme from the government
The important aspects to observe are the legal necessities to meet safety and health standards. However, the overall responsibilities regarding the repairs and maintenance in order to keep the property safe may vary between landlords and tenants, sometimes leading to disagreements. It is often advisable to consult estate agents in your area such as Fish Need Water for an idea of how the agreement should be.
This shouldn’t be the case though as the right tenancy agreement helps to make it clear to both parties about their duty even before the tenancy begins. Here’s a look at such agreements, the repairs involved and most importantly who is responsible for different forms of the maintenance work.
The Role of the Tenancy Agreement
Typically, the tenancy should clearly outline all the responsibilities and rights you and your tenant should follow before even beginning the tenancy. This means you have to detail your legal obligations as determined by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 Section 11, which enforces that he basic repair work needs to be carried out by you as the landlord. For such details, you can consult estate agents in Peckham..
Equally, your agreement must outline the responsibilities of the tenants and what they need to be aware of when making the contract. In the agreement, make it clear what you expect from your tenants to do in terms of the maintenance and accountability for any damages. At the same time, to make it fair, it should easy for the tenants to understand.
The Duties of a Good Landlord
In terms of the basic repairs necessary for the property, as the landlord, the duty lies upon you. So you have to consider details including:
· Any specific repairs to the exterior or interior of your property. This means you have to take up the maintenance of the windows, walls, doors and other external features like drainage, guttering, roofing, and outside piping
· Maintenance and repairs of electricity, water supplies and gas
· Ensuring the sanitary fittings work in proper order
· Keeping the lighting and electrical wiring in a fit state of repair
· Maintaining and repairing the gas supplies/appliances in the property
No matter what damage occurs when you carry out the repair work, whether you decide to hire someone or do it by yourself, you are expected to rectify the problems.
The Role of Tenants
For tenants, their chief obligation is to contact and inform landlords of any necessary repair work before they receive the go ahead to carry out. Other standard aspects tenants need to follow include:
·Maintenance of the property’s decoration and condition
·Ensuring they take care of the property and not cause damage by neglecting affected areas
·Avoid carrying out repairs or further decoration work, unless you receive the permission to do so.
When making the tenancy agreement, landlords should also include extra maintenance jobs. Usually, a common requirement is to keep the garden areas in the property in an equally attractive state just as the property itself. This is not just better aesthetically, but it also saves you from financial burdens of having to do this all by yourself as a landlord. If you allow tenants to keep pets, the responsibility for any damage should also be included.
Other Important Considerations
With such responsibilities, the consequences for failing to meet them must be made clear right from the beginning to reduce the likelihood of any situation when it comes to disagreements about returning deposits or making payments. However, surrounding repair and maintenance are other considerations you should be aware of, as mentioned above once a tenant informs you of any repairs, you need to deal with it as soon as possible.
Tenants also need to give landlords the permission their home, unless it is an emergency notice that needs to be given in writing of your intentions to step into the property. If you fail to carry out necessary repairs or maintenance work, or end up completing it with poor standards, you could be liable for negligence. You may face some legal action if anyone suffers any injuries or have their belongings damaged in the process.
Another thing you have to consider along this is if you own a property and it causes issues for tenants or has an effect on their standard of living, you may end up facing legal actions. They will have the upper hand to claim if you are not adhering to terms stated in the tenancy agreement.
The trick to ensuring that both parties remain content with their responsibilities is quite simple, from the beginning; provide a clear tenancy agreement, which states every detail and duty accountable for each party.
Angel Likola
hedgehog99
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