73. WHAT REPAIRS ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR? Jack’s Tenant Empowerment - Empowering Social Tenants - Jack Lookman Limited - Ola Carew

73. WHAT REPAIRS ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR?

While landlords carry significant legal responsibilities, tenants are not completely off the hook. Understanding your own responsibilities is just as important because it protects you from disputes, deductions, or even tenancy issues later on.

As a tenant, your role is to take reasonable care of the property. This is often described as treating the home in a “tenant-like manner.” In practical terms, this means maintaining day-to-day cleanliness and handling minor upkeep tasks.

You are responsible for small, everyday fixes. This includes changing light bulbs, replacing batteries in smoke alarms (unless your landlord provides a maintenance service), and keeping your home clean. If your sink becomes blocked because of food waste or grease build-up, clearing it is your responsibility.

Damage caused by you, your household, or your visitors is also your responsibility. If a door is broken because it was slammed too hard, or a wall is damaged due to furniture impact, repairs will likely fall on you. This is where many disputes arise, especially when landlords classify damage as “tenant-caused” rather than normal wear and tear.

Keeping your home well-ventilated is another important responsibility. While landlords must fix structural causes of damp, tenants are expected to reduce condensation where possible. This means opening windows, using extractor fans if available, and avoiding drying clothes in poorly ventilated spaces. If mould appears due to condensation and there is no structural fault, the landlord may argue that it is the tenant’s responsibility.

Garden maintenance often falls to tenants, depending on the tenancy agreement. This usually includes mowing the lawn, keeping the garden tidy, and preventing excessive overgrowth. However, major landscaping issues or dangerous trees are typically the landlord’s responsibility.

You are also responsible for reporting repairs promptly. This is one of the most overlooked responsibilities. If a small issue is ignored and becomes a bigger problem, your landlord may argue that the damage worsened because you failed to report it early.

For example, a small leak under the sink might seem minor. But if left unreported, it can cause significant water damage, mould, and structural issues. In that situation, responsibility can become blurred, and you may be held partly accountable.

Another key responsibility is allowing access for repairs. Your landlord must give proper notice, but once that is done, you are expected to cooperate. Refusing access can delay repairs and complicate your position if issues escalate.

It is also worth understanding what is not your responsibility, even if you are sometimes told otherwise. You are not responsible for fixing boilers, electrical systems, or structural damage unless you caused the issue directly.

The balance here is important. Being a responsible tenant does not mean accepting poor living conditions. It means doing your part while holding your landlord accountable for theirs.