If you’re a tenant, you may wonder who is financially responsible for the costs associated with repairing broken appliances in a rented home.
In homes everywhere, kitchens will most likely experience a lot of wear and tear as they are often the most used area in the home. This means kitchens may need a regular cycle of repair and maintenance to keep them safe and functional.
Here, we’ll discuss what you should know about kitchen repairs, including how often landlords should replace a kitchen and who should pay for kitchen repairs, particularly that of kitchen appliances.
There is no definite time period in which landlords must replace the kitchen in their rented property. It depends on a number of factors, such as: the condition of the kitchen at the start of the lease, how heavily it is being used by the current tenant and how well it is being cared for and maintained by the tenant.
On average, kitchens can last between 10 to 15 years. However, landlords are not legally obligated to replace a kitchen after 10 to 15 years.
A tenant may request their landlord to replace a kitchen if they see the need for a new one. However, it will depend on the discretion of the property owner whether to accept or reject the request. Landlords will likely say yes when they see that the kitchen replacement will increase the value of the property or make it easier to either retain current tenants or attract future ones.
Kitchen appliances will unfortunately break down over time. That cannot be avoided. In the event it happens, tenants often wonder who should be responsible for the cost of repair or even replacement.
Whatever was supplied by the landlord and whatever comes with the property at the onset of the rental should be repaired or replaced by the landlord as required. When a kitchen appliance breaks down, the tenant must report the matter promptly, preferably in writing. After that, the landlord must respond accordingly and resolve the issue.
Landlords must shoulder the repair expense if any kitchen appliance has unavoidably broken down due to ordinary wear and tear. On the other hand, if the kitchen appliance breaks down due to misuse or negligence on the tenant’s part, the tenant may be held liable for the cost of repair or replacement.
Once the landlord receives the notice from their tenant, they must organise the repair and replacement within a reasonable time. A question may arise in regard to the time frame.
Time frames are not specific. There is no provision in the law that requires landlords to replace or repair kitchen appliances by a certain time period. Guidelines only state that they must do so within a reasonable amount of time.
Such a guideline leaves much to interpretation as it can be subjective. One might think that a two-week period is reasonable, while others may think that a reasonable time frame is within a week’s time only..
Hence, tenants and landlords must maintain open and easy communication. This way, expectations can be clearly communicated, allowing the tenant to have a clear understanding and expectations in regard to maintenance issues surrounding their rental home.
The law does not set specific requirements or provisions on what landlords must provide and fit in the kitchen room. It is up to the landlord to decide what kitchen furnishings and appliances to provide their tenants.
On average, tenants can expect landlords to provide the following kitchen amenities:
In some rental properties, landlords may also include a dishwasher and tumble drier. Additional appliances often help raise the value (and asking price) of their rental properties.
Kitchen amenities must be stated in the tenancy agreement and declared in the inventory. This clearly records all kitchen amenity inclusions at the start of the tenancy, with both landlord and tenant confirming the list.
There are certain kinds of repairs and expenses which landlords are legally responsible for, including:
Landlords are liable for the repair and maintenance of these parts and inclusions in the rental property. Tenancy agreements cannot state that they are not legally responsible for these
It is best to carefully read the fine print of a tenancy agreement so you can be fully aware of your legal responsibilities as a tenant and those of your landlord’s. This way, you gain a clear understanding and expectation of the legal responsibilities of your landlord when it comes to repairs and maintenance issues.
Beside repairs and maintenance around the rental property, landlords have additional responsibilities to their tenant. One important responsibility is the safety and health of their occupants. A landlord must ensure that their rented property is free from hazards and safety issues to ensure the welfare of their tenants during their occupancy.
Health and safety responsibilities include:
As previously mentioned, a landlord must conduct property repairs within a reasonable time. Indeed, tenants must look after the rented home on a daily basis. But how about the landlords? How long should it take them to organise repairs and maintenance works in the property?
The law does not set out the time period for landlords to conduct repairs on their rented properties, only that they do so within a reasonable amount of time. Hence, it becomes subject to interpretation since people vary in opinions on just how long “reasonable time” should take at the most.
However, when the problems put the health and safety of the tenants at risk, repairs must promptly be completed within 2 weeks after being reported. For instance, a boiler that stops working during heavy winter must be addressed and resolved by the landlord within 2 weeks.
Sadly, tenants may come across landlords who neglect their responsibilities of handling essential repairs on the property. And when these landlords refuse to make the repairs, the tenants are exposed to unhealthy and hazardous living conditions.
Should a landlord fail to conduct necessary repairs and maintenance works on the rented home within a reasonable amount of time, the tenants may consult with their local authority and lodge a report. Local authorities are tasked to investigate these cases of neglect and act accordingly.
Now, let’s move on and talk about the responsibilities of tenants.
A tenant has the main responsibility of managing and caring for the rental property on a daily basis. This naturally includes keeping the home neat and clean. This also entails garden and outdoor maintenance. The change of light bulbs and replacement of smoke alarm batteries are minor issues that tenants are responsible for.
When major problems and issues occur, tenants must promptly report the matter to their landlords.
Tenants must allow access to the rented property at reasonable times. The rented home is subject to inspections, maintenance works and necessary repairs. Landlords are to give notice at least 1 day in advance, after which, tenants must grant access to related parties. Should there be a conflict as to time, they must agree on an alternative and suitable time.
Tenants have the legal right to request their landlords to replace the kitchen but there is no assurance that requests will always be granted.
Any kitchen that is below quality and fails to meet health and safety standards must be repaired or replaced. A landlord is legally obligated to take action in these situations. In cases where health and safety is not a concern, the landlord has the discretion to decide if they will accept or reject the request.
Landlords may choose to replace the kitchen when requested by their tenants. They would accept such requests in order to make the property more attractive and or increase the value of the property. They would be more inclined to improve or replace the kitchen area if this upgrade would keep you on as a tenant when it’s time to renew the tenancy contract and especially so if the upgrade will lengthen the tenancy period.
However, should the landlord fail to see valid justification for replacing and repairing the kitchen, your request may probably be denied.
If your request is rejected by your landlord, you may bargain for other improvements. For instance, you could settle for a replacement of the cupboard doors and benchtop. This improves the kitchen without too much of an expense for the landlord.
You may also refurbish the kitchen yourself if you have the budget for it. Ask your landlord permission before commencing any work. Often, if repairs and replacements will add value to the rental property, no landlord will refuse any improvements and replacement that will be paid for by the tenant. Go with neutral designs as these are most preferred.
You also have the option of co-sharing costs with your landlord. Speak with your landlord and compromise on contributing to the costs of replacing the kitchen.
Communication must be clear and open between your landlord and you. Establish it from the beginning so you can easily relay and receive information from each other. Good communication also helps you both come to an agreement about repairs and other matters that require attention and resolution.
In this guide, we’ve learned that both tenants and landlords share responsibilities in the upkeep of a rental property in the UK. Day to day maintenance must be handled by tenants while essential repairs and replacements must be actioned by the landlord. Landlords are also responsible for the repair of appliances that were originally fitted in the rental property.
We’ve also addressed the issue of kitchen replacements. Although the law doesn’t prescribe a set time for kitchens to be replaced, it is normal for property owners to replace kitchens every 10 to 15 years. Tenants may request for a kitchen replacement at any time but it is up to the discretion of the landlord to grant or reject the request.
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