As a landlord your responsibilities to your tenant/s are not limited to the property's gas safety and maintenance. Your responsibilities also extend to a number of other areas, outlined below.
Safety and security
Providing smoke detectors, making sure they work properly when a new tenant moves in (tenants are responsible for maintaining detectors). You are also responsible for providing satisfactory locks and keys. Communal areas such as lobbies, stairways and halls must be kept free from hazards.
Maintenance
You will need to keep the premises in good order to obey housing codes and regulations. Structural components of the property (roofs, floors, walls, fireplaces) will need to be kept in good condition. Electrical, plumbing, heating, and other household appliances must also be kept in adequate working condition. The premises also need to be kept in a weather-tight state and communal areas need to be kept clean.
Repairs
You will also need to attend to repairs to keep the dwellings in the same condition as when the tenant moved in (except for normal wear and tear).
Pests
This includes dealing with insects and other pests before the tenant occupies the property. The landlord must continue to deal with infestations except in a house (e.g. single family dwellings) or when the tenant is the cause of the problem.
Waste disposal
The landlord must provide refuse cans and arrange for refuse removal in apartments, studios, or any dwellings excluding houses.
Damage caused by tenants
A landlord is not responsible for contributing to the cost of correcting problems caused by the tenant.
Important information regarding our DIY help and advice
We try to make the advice on our website (www.HomeServe.com) as useful and reliable as possible. However, the purpose of this advice section of the website is to provide homeowners and private landlords with general guidance and useful tips only. It doesn't necessarily deal with every important topic or cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals and might not be relevant or appropriate in all circumstances. It is not designed to provide professional advice or financial advice and should not be relied on as such. Click here to read the disclaimer in full.