Today I want to talk to you about what landlords are responsible for.
I hear you say;
“Well I’ve given them a roof over their heads, they should be happy with that”.
Unfortunately it’s not that simple.

With regards to your responsibilities, you are providing a property, now in that property, what are you providing?
Are you providing appliances?
Are you providing a bathroom?
Are you providing a kitchen?

You’re providing all of these necessary things that unfortunately do need to be taken care of.

If you’re supplying an unfurnished property but you’re leaving the appliances, so the cooker, the washing machine, fridge freezer, dishwasher, those sorts of things, if you’re supplying it you’re responsible for it.
Which therefore if it does break down or elements/parts are needed because of the age or it is faulty, it needs replacing, you are as a landlord liable for that cost.

However, should a tenant break something, so if you call out an engineer because the oven isn’t working and the tenant has got it set as auto, the tenants should be liable for that not yourself.

With regards to showers, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that you supply, you are responsible as a landlord to make sure that they are all in satisfactory working order.
So heating is always working up to the standard that it should be, that there’s running water at the property, there’s no faults with the electricity.

Like I said appliances if you’re supplying them, that is what you’re responsible for.

Yes you are providing a roof over someone’s head, but at the same time you are also supplying them with items that have been left.

If you are leaving it as a furnished property and say for example the bed goes, then you are responsible for replacing that like for like unless it’s been damaged by the tenants, which they would then cover the cost.

Now one thing I would like to remind you landlords, tvs.
If you’re leaving a tv, you are liable for the tv license.
Do you want to cover the cost of that?
No you don’t.
Take the tv out.
Everyone’s choice is different, some might like a panasonic view, some might like a widescreen tv, everyone’s choice is different.
Don’t be caught out and pay up for the tv license when you don’t need to.

So that’s just a few things that landlords are responsible for.
If you would like to know more please contact me,
Danielle Withers-Brown
Lettings director at Inspired Sales and Lettings,
where we’re with you every step of the way on your lettings journey and to avoid those nasty bumps in the road that can occur every once in a while.