As a tenant or even a landlord, you may be wondering what the key responsibilities of a landlord are. A landlord has many duties and obligations that they must uphold in order to maintain the property as well as ensure their own protection.
Here, we look at 5 of these responsibilities which a landlord should know about:
The landlord is responsible for making repairs to the property
Landlords have a responsibility to maintain the property they are renting out and keep it up to code. They also need to make repairs when something is broken or goes wrong, such as a burst pipe in the winter.
In order for landlords to not break their own lease agreement, there are steps that can be taken now before an emergency arises. For example, renters should check over their tenancy agreement and ask questions about what happens if something breaks down or needs repair.
It’s important for both parties involved in this rental contract to know what is expected of them, so these types of issues don’t occur without notice during the term of the rental agreement.
The landlord is responsible for making sure the property is secure
It is the landlord’s responsibility to make sure that their property is safe and secure. This means making sure there are no holes in the walls, doors or windows, which an intruder could use as a point of entry.
It is important for landlords to keep utility services such as electricity and water running smoothly because these provide safety and security from intruders who may try to gain access with them on or off. They must also adhere to strict fire safety regulations too.
The landlord is responsible for implementing the rules of leasehold properties
As a landlord, you are responsible for implementing all rules and ensuring they are clearly laid out in your tenancy agreement. This means rules for some of the following things are up to the landlord and your responsibility to make clear.
- Your stance on renting with pets Smoking on your property
- Modifications/decorating
- Keys – who can have them and how many there should be
- Outdoor areas
- Other people living there
The landlord is responsible for providing an Energy Performance Certificate
Landlords are responsible for providing an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to potential tenants, which will detail the energy efficiency of their property. This is a legal requirement in England and Wales, so landlords should make sure they comply with this law.
The EPC will give details about the energy performance of the building and what measures have been taken to reduce its carbon footprint. It also gives information on how much money could be saved by carrying out certain actions.
The landlord is responsible for protecting the tenant’s deposit in a government-approved scheme
Finally, landlords are required to place a security deposit in a government-approved account and keep it separate from their personal property.
This protects tenants because they will have access to their deposits if they terminate their lease early or move out without giving proper notice.
In addition, landlords have to provide tenants with written notice of when the security deposit will be returned at least 30 days before that day arrives.
