In the face of a challenging property market, more and more of us are becoming either landlords or tenants and choosing to rent our homes, but both parties need to be clear on their responsibilities according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA).
Interior upkeep, garden maintenance and insurance are just a few areas where tenants and landlords alike are often unclear where liability rests. Without a good understanding of the responsibilities associated with a tenancy
ARLA warns there is the potential for costly disputes further down the line.
Tenants will often be happy to push through with a rental contract so they can move into their new property as soon as possible. But ensuring you understand what is expected of you during the rental period is essential as this may have a bearing on the return of your deposit at the end of the tenancy.
From the
landlord’s point of view any clauses and agreements covering non-essential property maintenance and improvements should be agreed in writing beforehand to avoid any disagreements once signed.
Top tips for tenants:
Clarify responsibility for items
Study the tenancy agreement drawn up by the landlord or letting agent in detail to make sure you understand who is responsible for the upkeep of each aspect of the property and the items within it. A detailed inventory, agreed by both landlord and tenants can help with the resolution of any issues around damage or missing items at the end of the rental period.
Looking after your rental property
Tenants are responsible for the fittings and fixtures of a rental property. Reasonable wear and tear is acceptable but if anything is damaged, accidentally or otherwise, it is important to inform the landlord.
Contents insurance
As explained above, don’t assume your contents are covered. Landlords are usually liable for insuring the building and any furnishings it comes with, so tenants should take out their own contents insurance to protect their property against any problems that may arise.
Top tips for landlords:
Legal obligations
The landlord has a legal obligation to ensure the safety of the tenant and this means that all electrical and gas appliances and systems must be safe and in a good working order. If there are any problems, inform the landlord whose duty it is to sort it out.
By law the landlord must:
- Ensure electrical and gas installations in the property are safe
- Ensure an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue
- Keep a record of each safety check
Always ask
If you are planning on making alterations to the property, always consult your landlord. Re-decorating may seem like a trivial matter but if you haven’t agreed it with the landlord you may face a hefty bill at the end of your tenancy. This also extends to any unapproved changes to the garden.
All ARLA licensed agents, including Chiswick based lettings agent
OliverFinn, must adhere to a strict code of conduct, as well as offering client money protection and redress schemes, which protect all parties if things go wrong.
Interior upkeep, garden maintenance and insurance are just a few areas where tenants and landlords alike are often unclear where liability rests. Without a good understanding of the responsibilities associated with a tenancy ARLA warns there is the potential for costly disputes further down the line.
Tenants will often be happy to push through with a rental contract so they can move into their new property as soon as possible. But ensuring you understand what is expected of you during the rental period is essential as this may have a bearing on the return of your deposit at the end of the tenancy.
From the landlord’s point of view any clauses and agreements covering non-essential property maintenance and improvements should be agreed in writing beforehand to avoid any disagreements once signed.
Top tips for tenants:
Clarify responsibility for items
Study the tenancy agreement drawn up by the landlord or letting agent in detail to make sure you understand who is responsible for the upkeep of each aspect of the property and the items within it. A detailed inventory, agreed by both landlord and tenants can help with the resolution of any issues around damage or missing items at the end of the rental period.
Looking after your rental property
Tenants are responsible for the fittings and fixtures of a rental property. Reasonable wear and tear is acceptable but if anything is damaged, accidentally or otherwise, it is important to inform the landlord.
Contents insurance
As explained above, don’t assume your contents are covered. Landlords are usually liable for insuring the building and any furnishings it comes with, so tenants should take out their own contents insurance to protect their property against any problems that may arise.
Top tips for landlords:
Legal obligations
The landlord has a legal obligation to ensure the safety of the tenant and this means that all electrical and gas appliances and systems must be safe and in a good working order. If there are any problems, inform the landlord whose duty it is to sort it out.
By law the landlord must:
