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Property maintenance

Maintenance refers to the work required to keep a rental property safe, functional, and fit for human habitation. This involves preventing deterioration, repairing faults, and looking after the building’s structure, essential systems, and any items provided by the landlord.

About property maintenance

Division of Responsibility

In a typical UK tenancy, maintenance responsibilities are shared between the landlord and the tenant:

  • The Landlord's Duties: Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are responsible for the structure and exterior of the building, as well as essential services including heating, hot water, electricity, gas, and plumbing. They must also maintain any appliances or furniture they have provided.
  • The Tenant's Duties: Tenants are expected to act in a "tenant-like manner." This means keeping the property clean, using fixtures and appliances correctly, and handling minor tasks such as changing light bulbs, bleeding radiators, or ensuring rooms are ventilated to prevent condensation and mould.

Types of Maintenance

  • Reactive Maintenance: Repairs carried out after something breaks, such as fixing a leaking pipe or a broken boiler.
  • Planned/Preventative Maintenance: Regular checks designed to prevent issues before they occur, such as annual boiler servicing or testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Common Misunderstandings

  • "The landlord has to fix everything": While the landlord handles major repairs and safety issues, tenants are responsible for day-to-day care and must avoid causing damage through negligence or misuse.
  • "Wear and tear is the same as damage": They are very different. Landlords cannot charge tenants for "fair wear and tear" (the natural ageing of carpets or paintwork). However, tenants are responsible for actual damage, such as a hole in a wall or a wine stain on a carpet.
  • "I can just fix it myself and deduct it from the rent": You should never carry out major repairs or withhold rent without the landlord’s prior written consent. Doing so could put you in breach of your tenancy agreement.
  • "I don't need to report small issues immediately": You have a duty to report maintenance issues promptly. A small leak that is ignored can lead to major structural damage, and you could be held liable for the increased repair costs if you failed to report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the difference between "fair wear and tear" and damage? Fair wear and tear is the expected decline in the condition of a property over time through normal, everyday use (e.g., frayed carpet edges). Damage is the result of accidents, neglect, or misuse (e.g., a cracked window or a broken door handle).
  2. How should a tenant report a maintenance issue? You should always use the communication method specified in your tenancy agreement—whether that is an online portal, email, or a phone call to the agent. Provide a clear description of the problem, attach photos if possible, and state the level of urgency.
  3. Can a tenant withhold rent if repairs aren't done? Withholding rent is extremely risky and can lead to eviction. In the UK, there is a very specific and complex legal process for "rent offsetting" for repairs. You should always seek legal advice from Citizens Advice or a solicitor before taking this step.
  4. Does maintenance include safety checks? Yes. Landlords are legally required to carry out annual Gas Safety Checks and five-yearly Electrical Safety Standards (EICR) inspections. They must also ensure that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order at the start of the tenancy.
  5. How quickly must a landlord carry out repairs? There is no fixed "number of days" in law, but repairs must be done within a "reasonable timeframe." Emergency repairs (e.g., no heating in winter or a burst pipe) should be addressed within 24 hours, while non-urgent cosmetic issues may take longer.