When you are renting, your landlord is responsible for most repairs that are required in your home. As a tenant, you are required to maintain your home to a reasonable level - but you don't need to leave it in a better condition than when you moved in.
This means looking for your home by keeping it reasonably clean, making sure it is ventilated to help avoid condensation and minor maintenance like changing light bulbs or smoke alarm batteries. You should also do safety checks on any electrical appliances you own and keep gardens or outside areas in a reasonable state.
When it comes to responsibility for repairs, there are certain things your landlord must always fix - whether they are a private landlord, council and housing association, according to housing charity Shelter. You can take action if they refuse - and could be even entitled to compensation.
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The advice from Shelter states: "Your landlord must carry out repairs within a reasonable period of time. Timescales depend on how serious the problem is."
Landlords are always responsible for certain repairs - even if your tenancy agreement says something different. They include:
- electrical wiring
- gas pipes and boilers
- heating and hot water
- chimneys and ventilation
- sinks, baths, toilets, pipes and drains
- the structure and exterior of your home (including walls, stairs and bannisters, roof, external doors and windows)
If the problem has caused damage, your landlord should also redecorate if needed once it's fixed, according to Shelter. If you live in a flat and your landlord owns the whole building, they might be responsible for repairing:
common parts, like lifts and stairways
the structure and exterior of the whole property
Your tenancy agreement might also set out extra responsibilities your landlord has for repairs. For example, one of the terms might state the landlord will repair faulty appliances like a fridge or washing machine.
Repairs a tenant is responsible for
You need to report any repairs that are needed to your landlord as soon as possible. However, there are some things you are responsible for, as tenant, including:
- fixing appliances or furniture they own and any damage cause
- damage caused by you, your family or your guests
- any minor repairs set out in your tenancy agreement
If a problem you cause needs repairing, you might have to pay for it - even if your landlord would normally be responsible. They could ask you to pay repair costs for things like blocked drains, pipes or toilets if you didn't "take reasonable care to keep them free of blockages."
Your landlord might fix things you have damaged - but they can charge you for it. However, you are not responsible for normal wear and tear in your home - your landlord has to fix that.
Can I get compensation?
If you landlord fails to carry out repairs within a reasonable time after you report it, or your home is unfit to live in because of poor conditions, you can ask your landlord for compensation. Your landlord might agree to give you a rent reduction or refund - however, Shelter advises that you this agreement in writing.
If your landlord won't agree to compensation, you can take court action. But you will need to provide evidence and the court will expect you to try to negotiating with your first, according to Shelter.
You can claim for actual financial loss, which includes damage to your belongings before or during repairs and having to spend more money because of the problem with your home. You can also claim for general inconvenience - including disruption to your daily life, not having full use of your home and time spent waiting for builders or inspections - and damage to your physical or mental health.
You can take legal action to claim compensation either during your tenancy or after it ends. Some private landlord may evict tenants who ask for repairs or compensation so you might be better offer waiting until you move out.
You must have reported the problem to your landlord during your tenancy to take legal action. You have up to six years to claim - or three years for a personal injury claim - starting from when your landlord should have carried out the work.
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