Change a Light Day – What are tenants responsibilities?
The 1st October is ‘Change a Light Day’
Tenants responsibilities in a property include certain types of repairs. These include changing the light bulbs, keeping the gulleys and drains clear, maintaining the gardens and testing the smoke alarms. If there are any carbon monoxide alarms fitted, these will also need to be tested. This information is set out in the tenancy agreement. If you require more information on who’s responsibility it is, you can find more in depth information on your tenancy agreements or Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70/section/11
As a tenant, you are expected to deal with small repairs. Tenants responsibilities include:
- looking after your home by using it in a ‘tenant like’ way
- telling your landlord/agent about the repairs that are needed
- providing access to have any repair work done, and
- having a duty of care to your visitors
Using your home in a tenant-like way generally means:
- keeping your home reasonably clean
- doing minor repairs yourself, such as changing fuses and light bulbs, checking the smoke alarm batteries, tightening door handles, plunging toilets in the first instance of a blockage, running hot water down a sink to clear debris etc.
- not causing any damage to the property and making sure your visitors don’t cause any damage
- using any fixtures and fittings properly, for example, not blocking a toilet by flushing something unsuitable down it
Your tenancy agreement may also set out some express terms on what your tenants responsibilities are for repairs. You can also visit our website for more information https://stuartshomes.co.uk/tenants-help/
Your landlord cannot include a term in your agreement that would pass on any of their repair responsibilities to you, for example, that you are responsible for repairs to the roof. This type of term would not have any force in law.
This information is on our website, visit https://stuartshomes.co.uk/faq/what-repairs-should-i-be-doing-as-a-tenant/
The Landlord is obligated to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling, and to keep in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity and the installations in the property for heating and heating water.
Are there any lights in your property that need changing, if so do you know how to change them?
Tenants responsibilities for changing a light bulb
Changing a lightbulb
As a tenant you will need to replace all bulbs, fluorescent tubes, fuses and replaceable filters as and when necessary. You will also need to follow the manufacturers or Landlord’s instructions (where instructions have been provided).
For more information on how to change the different types of light bulbs visit http://ketchup.homeserve.com/handy-hints/lounge/how-to-change-a-light-bulb/
Garden Maintenance
Tenants responsibilities for garden maintenance include a condition in your tenancy agreement to keep the gardens, driveway, pathways, hedges, rockeries and ponds in a good and safe condition and properly tended, unless your landlord has a garden contract in place.
Alarms
You as a tenant are responsible for testing all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms (if any) fitted in the property on a regular basis and replace the batteries (if any) as necessary. Any faulty alarms should be reported to the Landlord
Gulleys and drains
It is the tenants responsibility to clear all gulleys and drains during the occupancy and not to cause any blockage to the drains, pipes, sinks or baths.
Condensation
There are things as a tenant you can do to help deal with condensation problems. Day to day activities like cooking, washing and drying clothes in doors can cause or make a condensation problem worse.
It can help if you:
- when cooking use lids on pans
- dry clothes outside if possible
- keep the doors closed and windows opened if you do need to dry clothes inside the property
It is also useful to try and keep the property properly heated. Regular heating can keep the walls and other surfaces warm and reduces the risk of condensation.
This is a useful page with information about the different types of condensation and mould and what you can do and what a landlord needs to do.https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/damp_and_mould_in_rented_homes
If it isn’t one of the above and you are on a Fully Managed Tenancy (pay rent directly to Stuarts) you can report any other repairs for the property to us by using the ‘REPORT A REPAIR‘ button on the Tenants home screen on www.stuartshomes.co.uk
If you pay your rent directly to your landlord, then you should report the repair directly to them. You will have been issued with landlords contact details at your move in.
This is all useful information regarding tenants responsibilities for your tenancy.