In this three-minute read, we look at a study that
found some landlords were putting themselves and their investment at risk by
cutting corners on checks and maintenance.

Landlords
are leaving themselves exposed to the risk of criminal and civil prosecution by
failing to conduct critical safety checks and taking a back seat on maintenance,
a survey of renters has revealed.

The
study by property management platform Plentific found that a surprisingly high
proportion of landlords aren’t meeting their legal responsibilities regarding
gas safety and that in some cases, tenants are handling maintenance and
repairs.

The
survey of 1,000 tenants found that:

• 46% of private tenants don’t believe their gas
  appliances have been checked in the last year.
• 52% of private tenants don’t have a gas safety
  certificate.
• 56% of private tenants don’t have a carbon
  monoxide alarm.

What
the law says

Annual
gas safety checks must be carried out at all rental properties by a qualified
engineer and all tenants should receive a copy of the subsequent safety report.

Landlords
who fail to meet these obligations could face prosecution – and be fined or
imprisoned.

Furthermore,
landlords could wind up embroiled in a civil suit if a tenant is injured or
killed in a fire, explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning at the property.

Other
maintenance issues

The
survey also looked at how landlords respond to maintenance concerns raised by
tenants.

About
40% of private renters said requested works were completed within three days,
although overall, the average was ten days.

Issues
raised included damage to the garden (26%), property damage (24%), ­maintenance
(21%), and electrical problems (20%).

Worryingly,
37% of renters said they had organised repair works themselves (20% with
permission from the landlord, and 16% without).

We
would advise landlords in Kentto oversee maintenance
and repairs (or to entrust a property expert like a letting agent to handle it)
to ensure that work is done to a safe standard for a fair price.

Faulty
work could result in further problems down the line or damage to your property
that proves costly to rectify.

Managing
your responsibilities

Being
a landlord comes with a host of legal responsibilities. If staying on top of
all the paperwork and red tape feels overwhelming then you could benefit from
working with a reputable letting agent like us. We can shoulder the burden for
you and will advise you expertly and honestly.

Let
us take the stress out of managing the property and use our experience to make
your life a whole lot easier.

Please
get in touch with us here at CWB Property if you have any questions
about property management.