The Landlord’s Property Repair Responsabilities
Property Letting Guides

Landlord’s Obligations for repairs on properties.

It’s the duty of every landlord to carry out repairs, when necessary to a property for the period that you have tenants within the rental property.

It’s the legal right of the tenants to live in a property that is safe and in good condition – it’s therefore vital to take action if they contact you over any issues regarding repairs.

Landlords (or letting agents acting on their behalf) are considered responsible for repairing:

1
The exterior or overall structure of the property.
2
All sanitary fittings – for example sinks, baths and toilets
3
Pipes and drains throughout the property.
4
The hot water supply and any heating equipment in the property.
5
All gas appliances.
6
Flues, chimneys, and ventilation.
7
Electrical wiring in the property.
8
Any damage to shared areas (for example, entrance halls and common staircases.
9
Any damage caused to the property that occur when the landlords attempts to repair other faults.
10
Any fixtures or fittings stated within the tenancy agreement, such as any kitchen appliances.

If your tenants contact you requesting a repair, you should:

1.Provide a time-frame for when the tenant can expect the repairs to be concluded.

2.If there are tenants living in the property, provide the tenants with 24 hours’ notice of your visit, (or whatever time period is specified in the tenancy agreement), that you wish to carry out an inspection of the premises or to carry out repairs.

3.Ensure that your visit is arranged for a reasonable time of the day. Any emergency repairs on the property can be carried out without giving your tenants any notice. If stated in the tenancy agreement, you may choose to allow tenants to carry out their repairs themselves, but you cannot make them repair anything which is meant to be your responsibility.

Find how we can help you let your property







    Related Requirements

    Fire Safety Guidelines For Your Property
    Energy Requirements For Your Property
    Human Habitation & Living Standards
    The people we've helped

    • We recently switched from another letting agency to James Laurence, as we found their team so warm and friendly and loved the local aspect of the agency. The team have absolutely exceeded our expectations, making the changeover feel so seamless and finding new tenants for our apartment at really short notice. Lotti could not have been more wonderful to work with, going completely above and beyond to ensure our tenants could move in just before Christmas. We felt an immediate affinity with her and have so appreciated her attention to detail, quick thinking and creativity. She has made us feel so at ease, supported and like our property is in the safest of hands. Charlotte and Melissa have also been so helpful and lovely to deal with during the process. Having worked with several other agencies in Birmingham, I cannot recommend James Laurence highly enough. Look no further, they are the best!

      Julia Collins Andreu Avatar Julia Collins
      28 December 2022

    • The team at James Laurence was very helpful when I tried to find an apartment in Birmingham. I was in contact with a different letting agency but things fell through and they couldn't help me. A colleague of mine recommended James Laurence Lettings so I emailed them immediately since I was was moving from Sweden and the move would take place in less than a week. The team at James Laurence responded within 5 minutes and managed to offer me a few different apartment-options. Things proceeded quickly and smoothly and just a few days later I had they keys to the apartment. James Laurence helped me every step of the way and went above and beyond to accommodate my requests. The only minor negative thing I can say is that the interntal communication could be improved a tiny bit. I received slightly different information depending on who I was speaking with at the time. When I said I received different information earlier the person I spoke to said she would talk to her colleagues and then get in contact with me later with the "correct" information which she did and the issue got solved very quick.

      Elias Avatar Elias
      15 October 2022

    • Our experience with James Laurence Estate Agents was absolutely fantastic! Melissa Wilson made the application and referencing process smooth and easy with excellent communication. Everyone we spoke with from the office was kind, helpful, and welcoming. To top it all off, the loft we moved into was even better than the pictures! We are thrilled with our new home and we would absolutely recommend James Laurence to anyone looking for a place to live!

      Dominic James Avatar Dominic James
      2 October 2022

    • I have been very impressed with James Laurence, who have recently sold my property. Having previously had a poor experience with Purple Bricks, I instructed James Laurence to help sell my property. I have worked with Henry throughout the whole process and have found him to be very professional and knowledgeable as well as being efficient. It can't be stressed enough how important this is to have an estate agent that responds quickly, negotiates well and truly understands the market (especially during uncertain times like recently with the cover pandemic). I have briefly worked with Caroline and some of the other team members who also seem to be very efficient and friendly. Thanks again to James Laurence who I would fully recommend to anyone looking to Buy/Sell in Birmingham.

      David Jolly Avatar David Jolly
      16 June 2022

    • I recently sold my property with James Laurence, and the overall experience was great. They demonstrated a good knowledge of the Birmingham property market when discussing sales strategy, marketing and pricing (more than I was expecting) towards the beginning of my experience with them. This showed when we achieved 2 asking price offers within the first couple days of showings. Once an offer was accepted, their support did not stop there, Caroline (Sales Progression) did a fantastic job at liaising between myself and the buyers side, helping to progress items and remove any potential blockers. I would fully recommend James Laurence to anyone looking to Buy/Sell in Birmingham.

      Jack Darby Avatar Jack Darby
      20 May 2022