Broken heating or a leaking roof: what the landlord must repair

Many people put up with cold and breakdowns, thinking it is «their problem». In fact most repairs in a rented home are the landlord's duty by law.

What the landlord must do

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (section 11), in most tenancies the landlord must keep in repair: the structure and exterior (roof, walls, windows, gutters, drains, external pipes); and in working order the water, gas, electricity and sanitation installations (basins, baths, toilets) and heating and hot water. A dead boiler, no hot water, a leak, faulty wiring — these are the landlord's responsibility.

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What it means for you

This duty cannot be signed away — a clause putting such repairs on the tenant has no effect (section 11(4)). Report the fault in writing and allow a reasonable time to fix it (the property's age and condition are taken into account). If the landlord does not respond, you can go to the council's environmental health team, which can order works. Do not stop paying rent in protest — that can rebound on you; use the proper channels.