When you rent out a property it needs to be of a suitable standard with no outstanding repairs and every appliance provided needs to work.
You need to ensure that there is a working smoke alarm on every floor of the property when the tenancy starts.
If there is a working fireplace, or other solid fuel-burning appliance, then you must provide a carbon monoxide alarm.
The safety of any gas appliances is also important and you must get all appliances inspected every year by a Gas Safe Registered contractor.
Additionally you also need to make sure that the electrical installation is checked. For single-family houses, this needs to be done every ten years and for HMOs every five years.
When the council inspect rented properties we are looking for hazards which can seriously impact on the tenant's safety or wellbeing.
These include:
- Excess cold
- Dampness
- Trip hazards
- Electrical defects
- Overcrowding
When determining the works that are required officers use the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (PDF 2.05MB).
This is a way of determining which defects will seriously affect the tenant's safety or wellbeing and therefore need to be fixed.
If you require more information then please contact us. You can do this using our online contact form or on 01923 278 503.
