LANDLORD SPECIAL OFFER: Free Gas Safety Certificate if you sign up to Vital or Signature fully managed service in January 2021 – contact us for details.
Tenant responsibilities
We know that sometimes it's not always clear who is responsible for maintenance but here are a few examples - please contact us if you are not sure.
- Light bulbs: If a light bulb goes during your tenancy (and it was working when you moved in), it is your responsibility to replace this. You can buy bulbs in DIY shops or supermarkets.
- Smoke alarm batteries: It is your responsibility to replace batteries, although the landlord is responsible for any alarm faults.
- Topping up your boiler or re-igniting your pilot light: Commonly boilers can stop working because there isn’t enough water pressure in your boiler, or your pilot light has gone out.
- Programming your heating: Your heating often has a timer, whether it be on the boiler itself or a separate programmer. We can’t come out to show you how to work this, but if you email us your boiler or timer make and model number, we will email you an instruction manual if there isn't already one at your property.
- Bleeding radiators: This is when you release the air from the radiator that has become trapped inside. Trapped air causes the radiators to have cold spots, reducing the efficiency of them.
- Gardens: It is your responsibility to keep the garden in a good state.
- Post: You are responsible for forwarding on any post that is addressed to your landlord. Their address can be found on your tenancy agreement.
- Condensation, mould and mildew: Condensation occurs when warm moisture laden air meets a cold surface. Typical is when steamy air from cooking, washing and drying clothes rises up to the top of the house and meets a cold surface. [click here for damp and mould flyer]
- Report it: Tenants are advised to report issues as quickly as possible as problems often get worse the longer they’re ignored. If we don't know about a maintenance issue then we can't get it fixed.
Landlord responsibilities
- Landlords must keep the structure and exterior of a rental property (including drains, gutters and pipes) 'in repair'. Installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity and sanitation must be kept 'in repair and properly working order' - this doesn't necessarily cover fixtures, fittings and appliances for the above measures.
- Once the tenant has made a reasonable request which is acknowledged by the landlord or letting agent, the tenant is required to allow reasonable time to carry out the repairs. On top of this, the person who is going to do the work will need access to the property.
What you will or may be charged for
- Missed appointments: Where the actions of the tenant results in a missed appointment, the tenant is liable for the agent’s time in remedying the situation plus any actual costs incurred (such as contractor charges).
- Lost keys or other security devices: Tenants are liable to the actual cost of replacing any lost key(s) or other security device(s), plus the agent’s costs in obtaining any necessary permissions, sourcing providers and travel costs. If the loss results in locks needing to be changed, the actual costs of a locksmith, new lock and replacement keys for the tenant, landlord and any other persons requiring keys will be charged to the tenant.
- Avoidable or purposeful damage to the property: Tenants are liable to the actual cost of remedying any damage incurred (as detailed in a contractor’s invoice) plus the agent’s costs in obtaining any necessary permissions, sourcing providers and travel costs.
- Mis-operation of appliances: If you don’t follow the appliance guide and an engineer is called out to fix something that is due to user error, you may be charged a call out fee. If you do not have a manual at the property, please email us with the make and model numbers and we will do our best to find and email an instruction manual first to avoid this.
- Emergency / Out of hours call-out fees: Where the actions of the tenant result in the agent (or their nominated contractor) attending the property outside of normal office hours, the agent’s time to remedy the situation is charged, plus any actual costs incurred (such as contractor invoices).
Talk to us
If you have a maintenance issue please get in touch with us below or fill in the contact form on the maintenance page.
Email us: hello@avenueproperty.co.uk
Call us on: 01656 773345
Office: 2c Well Street
Porthcawl, CF36 3BE
Office Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9am - 5pm
Sat - Sun: By appointment
