Regardless of how thorough you are with the upkeep of your property, there will always be some issues that arise and things to be repaired. It is vital to be aware of the procedures in place in such cases and to whom the responsibility falls under. 

As a landlord within the UK, you are fully responsible for any repairs to the property’s exterior or structure. In addition to any repairs to sinks or baths (including pipes and drains), as well as, any heating, gas and electrical matters. 

Moreover, there are some procedures that should be carried out yearly or when necessary, such as Gas safety checks and Fire safety installations, that also fall under the responsibility of a landlord. 

A property should be habitable and upgraded every 5-7 years if it is under a long lease, as some damages do occur beyond wear and tear.  

Consequently, there are various policies in place to protect the property and its components for both landlords and tenants. For example, a Tenant’s Liability Insurance within the UK ensures that if there is any accidental damage to items belonging to or provided by the landlord, the cost incurred will be covered. 

This typically includes items or places within the property that are disclosed as part of your Tenancy Agreement, such as:

• Any furniture 
• Carpets
• Appliances – fridge, oven 
• Fixtures and fittings 

Although it is not a legal requirement to obtain a Tenant’s Liability Insurance, it is highly beneficial due to the fact that it can help protect you against deposit deductions. As a result of covering the cost to any accidental damages, in the long-run, this minimises potential deposit disputes at the end of your tenancy. 

Furthermore, tenants are obligated under the lease to immediately advise landlords or the Property Management company of any maintenance issues or damages, which could potentially affect the asset integrity. 

Daily supervision of such matters requires many stakeholders to be involved and various disciplines. Therefore, opting to have your property managed on your behalf by a competent company, such as SMARTHOST, will ensure your investments are maintained to a high standard and any issues that arise are dealt with in a timely manner. 

As part of our services at SMARTHOST, we outsource and work closely with a qualified maintenance company that have managed many of our properties throughout the years. In addition to, a 24/hours emergency service available should there be any out-of-office urgent repairs, to assure all our clients peace of mind at all times.