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As a tenant, you may have more rights than you think.  Owning a house is a great dream, but it comes with a lot of responsibility.  When something goes wrong on a rental property, you could be inconvenienced, but it is’s not up to you to mend it.  As a renter, it is often a good idea to understand about owner responsibilities. 

Outside the expected wear and tear, many things can go bad.  Many residences or rental homes have things such as washing machines and cookers that come with the property.  When there is a fault with the washer or the stove, you do not have to mend it.  This is one out of many owner responsibilities.  In the past years, there are have been devastating hurricanes that have ravaged the southern part of our country.  The most notable have been Louisiana and Mississippi.  Lots of the homeowners have lost everything and don’t have the funds to rebuild.  For those in the damaged areas who were tenants, they do not have the financial responsibility to rebuild, though they do need to find another place to live.  Reconstructing those homes are landlord responsibilities. 

Besides appliances, the general upkeep of the outside of the building is also a part of landlord responsibilities.  This would include peeling paint, siding damaged by strong winds, damaged gutters or steps.  You ought to take a look through your lease, but usually part of owner responsibilities incorporates the upkeep and maintenance of the yard, if you have one, and any trees or plants.  The owner may pay you to take care of lawn mowing, or they may hire a landscaping company. 

Landlord responsibilities also extend to your heating and water systems.  They should have your heating system inspected annually before it is switched on for the colder months.  If there is a difficulty with the heating or plumbing, they should fix it, or contact somebody to fix it, as quickly as possible .  If you have any questions about owner responsibilities, refer to your lease.  If the lease fails to help you understand, don’t be scared to call your owner and ask for specifics.  Straightforward communication is typically the key to evading big issues between owner and renter. 

Maybe one of the biggest landlord responsibilities is to keep records and making sure your security deposit gets sent back to you when you vacate the grounds.  Your lease should spell out what is anticipated when you move out.  If you are sure everything is as it should be, and you haven’t received your cash, you can make a complaint.  As a final resort, you can get legal help with reference to owner responsibilities.  If you feel you are mistreated or that your living situation is dangerous and your owner won’t do anything about it, don’t be scared to ask for legal help.

This article was written by Harold Fenton, a UK insurance advisor with a particular interest in liability insurance for small businesses