In November, when the temperatures drop significantly, few topics create as much tension between landlords and tenants as the breakdown of the boiler. The boiler breaking leads to the building becoming an icebox, and the issue quickly escalates from a maintenance problem to a legal and relational battle between the two parties.
The Legal Structure: Who is Responsible?
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11, clearly states that the landlord is responsible for maintaining the heating and hot water systems in their rental properties. Also, landlords are required to have an annual gas safety check performed by a registered Gas Safe engineer, and they must provide a copy of the Gas Safety Record (CP12) to their tenants. Failure to perform these maintenance tasks results in penalties for the landlord, such as fines and the inability to serve eviction notices to their tenants. For Boiler Servicing Cheltenham, contact https://www.blu-fish.co.uk/gas-heating-services-cheltenham/boiler-servicing-cheltenham
The Daily Responsibilities of Tenants:
Tenants have several responsibilities in relation to the maintenance of the boilers. For example, they are required to maintain the temperature of the rental property at a level that prevents the pipes from freezing and to make sure that the water pressure within the boiler remains within a certain range.
Tenants are also required to report any issues with the boiler immediately to the landlord, as ignoring these issues can result in the tenant being required to pay for the damage that happens to the rental property as a result of neglecting these responsibilities. Finally, landlords are only permitted to enter the rental property to perform maintenance on the boiler after providing the tenant with at least 24 hours’ notice, and they must permit the Gas Safe engineer to enter the rental property to perform repairs as well.
One of the grey areas between landlords and tenants involves the requirement for landlords to complete repairs to the boiler in a “reasonable” amount of time. There is no specific statute that dictates a certain number of hours that landlords are required to complete repairs within. However, landlords are required to arrange for emergency engineers to visit the rental property within 24 to 48 hours of receiving a complaint about the boiler, especially if the tenant reports that the heating and hot water in the rental property is lost.
By following these regulations, landlords and tenants can avoid the breakdown of the boiler leading to increased tensions between them. For instance, landlords can arrange for annual servicing of the boiler during the summer months to ensure that any issues with the boiler are addressed prior to the onset of winter.
