Law & Society

With being a landlord comes many responsibilities. If you are a landlord it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your tenants, and there are certain legal guidelines that must be adhered to.

A landlord will have an agreement with their tenants. This will usually consist of a written documents signed by all parties. It is legally binding so the terms within it need to be carefully considered. There are certain details that must be included by law, and other things can be included at the landlord's discretion. This can include certain rules as to what must be done and what cannot be done by the tenants. For example, a landlord may decide that their tenants are not allowed to smoke in the home. Whichever landlord responsibilities are laid out in the tenancy agreement must be kept to, otherwise you are breaking the contract with your tenants.

It is the job of the landlord to make sure that all necessary repairs are made. This is not the responsibility of the tenants. For example any structural repairs must be completed as well as other repairs to things such as plumbing. Although tenants must look after the home with due care, natural damage does take place and this is the responsibility of the landlord.

Almost all landlords require a deposit before tenants move in, possibly the equivalent of two or three months rent. This is to cover any damage caused by the tenants or if they should leave without giving due notice. When this is the case the landlord can keep part or all of the deposit; whatever the equivalent to the financial loss is. If this hasn't been the case, though, it is the responsibility of the landlord to make sure the deposit is kept safe, so it can be returned to the tenant when they move out.

Safety is obviously important in any home and in most cases this is the responsibility of a landlord if they are renting a home out. There are many regulations that cover different aspect of safety. These include rules relating to gas, electrical and fire safety.

Under the Gas Safety Regulations 1998 there must be an annual gas check in all rented homes. All gas appliances must be checked to make sure they can be safely used. Gas appliances common in rented accommodation include boilers, radiators, gas ovens and gas fires.

All electrical appliances supplied by a landlord must be safe to use. Typical electrical appliances in a rented home include fridges, freezers, washing machines, ovens and microwaves. If appliances are the property of tenants then they are not the responsibility of the landlord. PAT testing is the best way to insure electrical appliances are safe to use. These are tests carried out on appliances such as those mentioned above. Professional PAT Testing Companies can be hired to carry out these tests.