There is a lot of responsibility involved in being a landlord. It will be the responsibility of a landlord to ensure the property is up to code and that they are giving a tenant everything they need to be comfortable.
Of course, a tenant will repay a landlord with cash for this service. This practice has existed for many years, but not everyone is fully aware of what a landlord is responsible for. That’s why we have put together this article to help inform current landlords and future landlords. Let’s get started.
Making The Property Liveable
Let’s start with one of the most important points. A landlord is responsible for making the property safe and liveable. The property must be in a good state of repair and be secure. A landlord must follow the Housing Fitness Standard. This has been in place since 1992, and depicts what should exist in a property to be considered fit to live in.
It partly refers to the structure itself being safe and sturdy. It also must be free from dampness that would affect and individual’s health. The property must also have adequate provisions in place for lighting, heating and ventilation.
It will be imperative for all landlords to do their research on these matters, so that they are fully clued up on what they’re responsible for, and what they need to do to help make a property safe and liveable.
In Charge Of The Exterior As Well As The Interior
Many landlords who own a piece of property, especially a house, believe they are only responsible for the upkeep of the interior, with the exterior being the tenant’s responsibility. While tenants will be responsible for caring for the garden and the exterior of the home in general, any serious issues will be dealt with by the landlord. If there are any garden buildings, this will also be the landlord’s responsibility.
This will especially be the case for any issues that could cause damage to the structure or foundations. For example, you could have Japanese Knotweed growing, which could cause severe damage and affect the price of the property. You would need to have this surveyed and taken care of professionally to ensure it is done properly.
On the topic of surveys, it will be in your best interest as a landlord to conduct regular surveys across your home’s interior and exterior. This can help you analyse certain areas and make improvements. This can help increase the value of the property, helping you maximise a sale price or a rent price point.
As a landlord, you should conduct a tree survey to understand your trees’ physiological and structural condition. This tree survey can help you give information about the tree, or group of trees, and allow you to make informed decisions about what to do next. It is crucial that you work with tree survey experts who have experience with this. 24Housing can tell you everything you need to know about tree surveys so that you have a good idea of what you should do about trees in the exterior of your property.
Repairing And Maintenance
This point is one that is perhaps quite obvious but is worth talking about all the same. A landlord will be responsible for maintaining the property and repairing anything that ends up broken and wasn’t the tenant’s fault.
What some tenants get confused about, is the lightbulb situation. Many tenants believe it is a landlord’s responsibility to replace broken and dated bulbs. However, if a lightbulb was recorded as working in the inventory by the start of the tenancy, then these will count as consumable items that the tenancy is responsible for.
In some cases, consumed lightbulbs can lead to deposit disputes, so it’s important that both parties are aware of the obligations and understand where they sit. Therefore, if a lightbulb is in place and working by the beginning of the tenancy, then it should be in place and working by the end.
Of course, if the physical light fixture itself is faulty, then this is a different matter. Rather than the tenant having to deal with it themselves, it will be the responsibility of the landlord to get it fixed properly. In most cases, this will require the use of an electrician rather than them fixing it.
That’s the main takeaway here. While it is the landlord’s responsibility to repair and maintain the property, it doesn’t mean it has to be done by their hands. Instead, they just need to be prepared to deal with it and get it sorted properly.
Protecting The Deposit
As a landlord, it will be your responsibility to look after the deposit a tenant gives you. You can’t just place the deposit into your own bank account, however. A Landlord will need to put the deposit into a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme, also known as a TDP.
The deposit will be returned to the tenant if the tenant has met the tenancy agreement’s terms by the tenancy’s end. This involves the property remaining undamaged and assuming that rent has been fully paid up.
A landlord will need to deposit the money within 30 days of receiving it at the beginning of the tenancy. By the end of tenancy, a landlord will need to return the deposit within 10 days. This doesn’t have to be the full amount, but it has to be an agreeable amount discussed ahead of time.
Sometimes, there can be disputes related to the deposit. In situations like this, the full deposit will remain protected in a TDP scheme until the issue has been resolved. A tenancy deposit is different to a holding deposit, as this deposit just holds the property before being rented out.
It’s important that landlords know their obligations regarding deposits, as well as other legal points raised in this article. If landlords are aware of their obligations, draw up correct and legal contracts, then they should be set to go.
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