- You
( The Landlord ) are Responsible for
- The
Tenants are Responsible for
- H.M.O's
- Repossession
This section provides a brief resume of your legal
responsibilities as a landlord. Links to more detailed
information and references for this page are detailed
below
You
(the landlord) are responsible for...
- Keeping in repair the structure
and exterior of the property, including drains, gutters,
and external pipes.
- Keeping in repair and proper working
order the installations for the supply of water, gas,
and electricity and for sanitation (including basins,
sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences, and for heating
rooms and heating water)
- Keeping the property wind and watertight
and reasonably fit for human habitation
- Providing a rent book if statute
so requires (e.g. where the rent is paid weekly)
- Providing the students with your
full name and address.
- Providing them with a copy of the
valid current Gas Safety Certificate - www.corgi-gas.co.uk.
- Providing them with a copy of the
electrical certificates. NICEIC site (Electrical safety
standard organisation) www.niceic.org.uk
- Allowing the exclusive possession
of their accommodation
-
You should give prior
warning as agreed in the Tenancy Agreement (normally
at least 24 hours) to the tenant when you wish to
enter the property to carry out legitimate maintenance
checks and repairs.
Registering with the Local Authority, where the
property is located, who must be satisfied that
the landlord is “fit and proper”. Under
the registration scheme there are penalties for
landlords who are not deemed to be taking sufficient
action to deal with the antisocial behaviour of
their tenants.
From 3rd September 2007, complying with the Statutory
Repairing Standard brought in by the Housing (Scotland)
Act 2006. To meet the Repairing Standard, the
landlord has to ensure that the property is wind
and water tight and reasonably fit for human habitation;
that the structural and exterior of the house
are in reasonable repair and proper working order,
considering its age and locality; and that the
installations for the supply of services, fixtures,
fittings, appliances and furnishings are in reasonable
repair and proper working order. More specifically,
there has to be at least one functioning smoke
alarm on each floor and, ideally, these should
be mains powered.
The tenants are
responsible for.........
- Acting in a "Tenant-like manner".
This means they should perform the smaller tasks around
the house such as mending the electric light when
it fuses, unblocking the sink when blocked with waste,
clean the windows when necessary.
- Use the property with reasonable
care - if they do not then they are responsible for
the necessary repairs.
- Refuse collection! They are responsible
for putting out the wheelie bin (in areas where schemes
exist)- and to bring it back in again.
- Securing the property when they
go away - i.e./ they must lock all doors and windows!
- Being reasonable about noise and
parties
- Reporting all repairs needed to
you (preferably in writing). The landlord's responsibility
to repair begins only when he/she are aware of the
disrepair. You, as landlord, are responsible to take
remedial action within a reasonable period of time
(dependant upon the nature of the disrepair)
If you (the landlord) don't fulfil
your obligations …
If you don't carry out repairs that are your responsibility
the tenant will probably contact their student's union,
accommodation department at the University or a law
centre or Citizens Advice Bureau. They will have a number
of legal options open to them.
If they (the tenant) don't fulfil
their obligations
If the tenants don't fulfil their obligations e.g. paying
rent, maintaining standards, Citizens advice Bureau
or legal advice should be sought.
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