Legal responsibilities of a landlord


Area	Responsibility
Safety of gas appliances	You must, by law, arrange an annual check of gas appliances
Safety of electrical appliances	All electrical appliances must have fixed plugs. A check of appliances is advisable but not mandatory
Fire safety requirements	You must ensure that furniture and furnishings (particularly soft furnishings) meet the requirements
Repairs	It is your responsibility to carry out repairs on the property

You may have other responsibilities according to your tenancy agreement - such as maintaining the garden.

All gas appliances (boilers, cookers and gas fires) must be maintained in good order and checked every 12 months by a CORGI registered engineer. When you come to let your property, you will need to present the tenants with a Gas Safety Certificate. This needs to be provided within 21 days of them moving in. For short lets (less than six weeks) you need to hand it over as they enter the property.

All furnishings must comply with the relevant safety regulations, though essentially any furniture purchased new since 1988 should automatically comply.

In addition, it is wise to ensure that your property is fitted with:

Smoke detectors
Carbon Monoxide detectors

You also need to know who is legal responsible for paying accounts such as electricity and gas.

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