Category: Tenants

Anything that may be of interest to tenants

  • How often should landlords check the condition of the electrical installation in their rental property?

    Firstly it is important to point out there is no legal requirement for landlords to inspect and test the electrical installation. However landlords do have an obligation that anything they supply to tenants is safe and the surest way of achieving this is through inspection and testing.


    Electrical Safety First recommends regular periodic inspections. These should be carried out by a registered electrician. After a periodic inspection, you should always be given an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) containing details of the inspection and testing undertaken, the outcomes of the inspection and testing with recommendations as to what remedial action (if any) is required, and a declaration of whether or not the installation is safe for continued use.


    What ~ Periodic inspection (sometimes called formal inspection and test or periodic inspection and test)


    When ~ The maximum period recommended between the initial inspection (when the installation was first put into service) and the first periodic inspection and test is five years.
    Periods between subsequent inspections will depend on the condition of the installation at the time of the preceding inspection, but it is recommended that periodic inspection and testing is carried out at least every five years or at the end of a tenancy, whichever comes first.
    Where a change of tenancy occurs after a short period (for example less than six months), a full periodic inspection and test may not always be needed (see Visual check below)


    Who ~ Carried out by a registered electrician.


    Product ~ Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). A schedule of circuit details and test results should always be provided as part of the Electrical Installation Condition Report and should be kept next to the consumer unit (fusebox) for information purposes.


    What ~ Visual check (sometimes called an interim check or electrical safety check)

    Where a change of tenancy occurs after a short period (for example less than six months), a full periodic inspection and test may not always be needed. However, in such cases, the landlord or their representative should always carry out a visual check to confirm that the property is safe to re-let.
    The visual check should include ensuring that there are no burnt, broken or missing switches or sockets, no accessible live parts, no signs of burning on electrical equipment, and carrying out a manual test of any installed RCDs. Things to look out for include:
    • Broken accessories (such as sockets and light switches).
    • Signs of scorching around sockets due to overloading.
    • Overheating of electrical equipment (such as lampholders fitted with the wrong lamps) – usually detected by a strong, often fishlike, smell.
    • Damaged cables to portable electrical appliances or trailing cables/flexes.
    • Circuit breaker protecting the circuit.


    A visual check is only be carried out where a formal inspection and test (EICR) has been carried out on the property (within the last 5 years) and any actions recorded on the EICR have been addressed.


    Who ~ Carried out by an electrician or the landlord or their representative.


    Product ~ If carried out by an electrician will produce a Visual Condition Report (VCR). If carried out by the landlord or his representative they will typically complete a Landlords’ Interim Checklist (checklist here)

    Electrical Safety First provide a Home ‘Electrical Safety Check’ app details of which can be found here


    Inspection and testing of electrical appliances, often called portable appliance testing (PAT), is not included in any of the above. More information on the inspection and testing of electrical appliances can be found here


    Further reading
    Landlords’ Guide to Electrical Safety here

  • Best Mould Solutions for Tenants

    Mould problems are prevalent in UK rented accommodation as our weather conditions are an ideal breeding ground for mould spores and fungi.
    Excess mould can not only ruin your clothes and furniture but it can cause severe respiratory problems, allergies and asthma as well.

    The following guide has been written by Mould Expert Marcel Springorum of ByMould.com and will present the solutions for tackling mould.


    Measure RH
    It is our belief that when tenants move into a new property they should measure the relative humidity level (RH) with a hygrometer. Initial RH measurement will alert the tenant to possible mould problems in the future.

    Tenants should measure the RH for each room as ventilation for each may be quite different. This holds especially true for multi-level properties.


    Wardrobes
    Solutions for wardrobe damp are low cost but very effective.
    Moisture Absorbers with little hangers are ideal as they reside alongside your clothes. Make sure to remove the absorbers before the bags get too full of water, fall down and spill water. Larger moisture absorbers can be placed in the bottom, or even on top, of the wardrobe. Of course moisture absorbers can also be placed in other small areas such as cupboards, underneath stairs and utility areas. Once used most moisture absorbers need to be replaced or depending on the type new absorption tablets need to be bought.


    Mould on Bath and Tile Grout
    HG Mould Spray is a great product for removing black mould from wall tile grout and the silicone that lines your bath. Simply spray, wait and wipe with a damp cloth and the mould is gone. HG Mould Spray is also formulated to keep mould away for longer than other products.


    Single Rooms
    Single rooms, or areas smaller than 5 metres squared, are best serviced by an electrical dehumidifier. Brands such as Airpro Mini and Dihl are popular and come with a 9 volt adaptor for power. Single room dehumidifiers typically extract 250ml of moisture per day and feature a 500ml water tank. This exemplifies the type of area that they are suitable for.


    Larger Areas
    Larger areas are best serviced by a full size domestic dehumidifier.
    There are two main types of dehumidifier; desiccant and compressor.
    Desiccant dehumidifiers are ideal for UK temperatures as they not only operate at lower temperatures than compressor dehumidifiers but they are cheaper to run at these temperatures as well. Without any compressor parts desiccant dehumidifiers are also quieter and lighter than compressor models. The downside is that desiccant dehumidifiers cost more to purchase than their compressor counterparts.


    Best Dehumidifiers


    Best ‘Budget’ Dehumidifier
    Without doubt the best budget dehumidifier is the Prem-I-Air ‘Xtreem10’.
    Featuring a 10 litre daily extraction rate and a 1.5 litre water tank the ’Xtreem10’ has many features of more expensive dehumidifiers such as a continuous drainage function. The ‘Xtreem10’ is a compressor dehumidifier thus will be louder and heavier than a desiccant model


    Best Desiccant Dehumidifier
    The best desiccant dehumidifier is the EcoAir DD122MK5 as it not only contains all the features of the very popular EcoAir Eco DD122FW but it contains several very significant improvements. First of all the EcoAir DD122MK5 contains a 3D louvre which allows the user to direct airflow into certain areas. This makes the DD122MK5 ideal for drying clothes indoors. The DD122MK5 also features an anti-bacterial filter and ioniser which provides a cleaner air which is beneficial for those who suffer from allergy and asthma.



    For more information visit ByeMould.com

  • Who is responsible for maintaining drains and sewers in a rental property?

    First some definitions..


    A drain is a pipe that carries waste water away from a building.



    A lateral drain is the part of a drain which lies outside the property boundary, and in some cases, can be located under someone else’s land or a road. Your sewerage company is responsible for maintaining lateral drains.



    A sewer is a pipe that carries waste water from more than one property. Most sewers are publicly owned and are maintained by your sewerage company.



    Private Drains



    Under S11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 the landlord must keep in repair the structure and exteriors of the dwelling, including drains gutters and external pipes. ‘Keep in repair’ means that the landlord must keep up the standard of repair from the start of the tenancy. This provision is implied into all tenancies entered into after 24 October 1961 and imposes an obligation on landlords to effect basic repairs, which is absolute. Section 11 cannot be excluded from any residential tenancy and a landlord cannot negotiate with the tenant that section 11 will not apply to the tenancy.



    Defects in Design or Construction



    Defects in design or construction will not be actionable under s11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, as the property will not be in disrepair.


    Tenant’s Repairing Obligations



    Warren vs Keen was an important case in defining tenants repairing obligations. In this judgement, Lord Denning LJ stated:

    “What does ‘to use the premises in a tenant-like manner’ mean? The tenant must take proper care of the place. He must, if he is going away for the winter, turn off the water and empty the boiler. He must clean the chimneys, when necessary and also the windows. He must mend the electric light when it fuses. He must unstop the sink when it is blocked by his waste. In short, he must do those little jobs about the place, which a reasonable tenant would do. In addition, he must, of course, not damage the house wilfully or negligently; and he must see that his family and guests do not damage it; and if they do, he must repair it. But apart from such things, if the house falls out of repair owing to fair wear and tear, lapse of time or for any reason not caused by him, then he will not be liable to repair it.”



    It is widely held that a pipe which is blocked is out of repair, although the tenant would normally be responsible for keeping the drains, pipes, gutters and channels in or about the property clear and not to cause blockage to any sink, basin, toilet or waste pipe which serves such fixtures. Additionally the tenant is normally responsible for unblocking the drains from all buildings that form part of your property (known as a private drain) that become blocked by the tenant’s waste.