Landlord or Tenant? Common Responsibility Questions Answered
Clearing up the grey areas of who pays for what in a tenancy.
The upkeep of a property is one of the most common sources of tension between landlord and tenant — and the answer to ‘whose job is this?’ isn’t always clear-cut. Here are a few of the grey areas, cleared up.
Gardens & outdoor space
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the landlord is responsible for the structural side of outdoor areas — gutters and fences among them — while day-to-day tidying usually falls to the tenant.
Damp & mould
It depends on the cause. Condensation from steam on walls and ceilings tends to be the tenant’s responsibility; mould from old paint, or damp and leaks tied to the structure, sit with the landlord.
Electrical appliances
A landlord must keep any appliances they supply in safe working order, and those should be listed in the inventory. Anything the tenant brings in themselves is theirs to look after and fix.
Redecoration & wear
Tenants often personalise a home with paint or picture hooks, which should be put right on move-out. Set expectations at signing, record the original state of the walls, and allow for fair wear and tear.
When it’s written down clearly at the start — and the inventory is thorough — most of these disputes never happen.
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