Property Maintenance

Tenants have a right to accommodation that is safe and offers a comfortable living standard. Landlords are therefore obligated to maintain the property efficiently and carry out essential repairs and maintenance.

How often should repairs and maintenance work take place?

Emergency repairs, such as plumbing, heating or electrical repairs should be carried out as soon as a problem is identified or reported by the tenant. Maintenance work, such as painting, and decorating is dependent upon the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement. Tenants can carry out maintenance work on behalf of the landlord but only with the landlord’s permission. Landlords must give tenants a clear idea of when any repairs or maintenance work will take place and be completed.

Essential repairs

Landlords are legally responsible for essential repairs to the following:

  • The exterior and structure of a property
  • Essential fixtures and fittings e.g., sinks, toilets, baths.
  • Drains and pipes
  • All gas appliances and associated pipes, ventilation, and flues
  • Electrical installations and wiring

In addition, landlords are liable for rectifying any damage that may be incurred whilst carrying out repairs. They are also usually responsible for the condition of communal areas such as stairways in blocks of flats, depending upon what is stated in the tenancy agreement.

Responding to repairs

Not only is it a legal obligation to carry out essential repairs in a timely manner, but it is also an essential part of developing a positive tenant-landlord relationship. A satisfied tenant is more likely to be a responsible, long-term tenant and provide a reliable stream of rental income. By far the most common repair requests are for repairs to boilers, toilets, baths, and showers. As these are essential to everyday living, they obviously require immediate attention, especially the boiler and toilet.

For repairs that are not as urgent, it is still a good idea to respond efficiently in order to prevent a situation from escalating and landlords should seek to resolve the problems within a short space of time, especially if they are having a detrimental impact upon the tenant. If repairs are delayed for weeks or even months, it is likely to breed frustration and resentment.

If there is a valid reason why non-essential repairs can’t take place within a short time frame, this should be communicated with the tenant, along with regular updates, with a clear indication as to when they might be resolved. This ensures that the tenant is confident that the problem has been acknowledged and is being dealt with.

It is also in the landlord’s best interests to stay on top of repairs from a financial perspective. If repairs are left unremedied, they often spiral and result in much more expensive and complicated resolutions. A property is an investment, and it is in the best interests of the landlord to protect it from deterioration, so if your tenants know that you deal with repairs quickly, they are more likely to report them, therefore preventing your asset from deteriorating further.

Risks associated with poor maintenance

There are a variety of reasons why failing to keep a property in a good state of repair is a bad idea and could prove costly. For example, paying out a small fortune to remedy issues which have been left unattended for months or even years, potentially deterring good tenants. This could also negatively impact the resale potential of the property if placed on the market.

In addition to this however, there could be legal ramifications to neglecting your duty of care, for example, putting the welfare and health and safety of tenants at risk. In the most severe cases of non-compliance, you could be fined heavily or prosecuted, whilst neglecting repairs in line with health and safety regulations could be even more serious, ending up in a criminal court if people are harmed as a result.

Professional Property Management

At Paran Property Services, we understand that keeping on top of maintenance and carrying out repairs can be quite overwhelming, especially if you have multiple properties to take care of. Landlords can often find themselves spending too much of their time carrying out repairs and maintaining the properties, instead of focusing on growing their portfolios.

This is where an experienced letting agent comes into their own. Paran’s full property management package ensures that repairs are always carried out as soon as possible, removing the stress and headache for the landlord and ensuring quality repairs from approved tradespeople.

Here at Paran, we’re experts in managing properties on behalf of landlords. Operating a 24/7 out of hours emergency service, we take care of everything and deal with tenant enquiries via our Monday to Friday Helpline. We also use the best local tradesmen to carry out the work on whatever needs doing — from a scheduled decorating job to unblocking a drain.

The best of both worlds 

Letting Paran Property Services take care of all the maintenance issues in a fast, efficient manner will keep your tenants happy and allow you to focus on expanding your portfolio and running your business. What’s more, you can do this safe in the knowledge that Paran has things covered and will look after your tenants, saving you time, money, and stress.