Landlords have the following legal obligations which must be adhered to when dealing with residential tenancies:
In terms of Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the Landlord is responsible for repairs to the structure and exterior of the property, heating and hot water installations, basins, sinks, baths and other sanitary installations. However, where the damage is caused by the Tenant, the Landlord will not be held responsible.
For more information on repairs and maintenance, see Landlord Repairs.
In terms of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 and the Plugs and Sockets (Safety) Regulations 1994, all electrical appliances and installations, as well as all plugs, sockets and adaptors must be completely safe and adhere to electrical safety standards.
For more information on electrical safety, see Health and Safety.
In terms of the Gas Safety Regulations 1998, all gas appliances, pipe work and flues must be maintained in a safe condition.
For more information on gas safety, see Health and Safety.
In terms of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1998, all furniture supplied by the Landlord must be fire resistant and meet fire safety standards.
For more information on fire safety, see Health and Safety.
Landlords must provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to all new and prospective Tenants. These certificates show the energy efficiency levels and environmental impact of a property.
For more information on EPC's, see Energy Performance Certificates.
In terms of the housing Act 2004, where Landlords request deposits and/or other such security from Tenants, this must be paid into an accredited tenancy deposit scheme in order to provide the Tenant with protection over that deposit.
For more information on tenancy deposits and tenancy deposit schemes, see Tenancy Deposits and Tenancy Deposit Schemes.
Landlords must ensure that they have the requisite permission to let out their property to Tenants. This includes obtaining permission and/or informing the following:
Landlords are subject to any other obligations that are included in the Tenancy Agreement between the Landlord and the Tenant.