Call of the month - who is responsible for the gutters?
Each month we feature a call to our Landlord Support Line with a common question from members.
This month we answered a call from a landlord who had issues with a dripping gutter. They wanted to know more about who was responsible for keeping the gutters clear and in good repair.
What did they have to say?
The member called the support team to say that a tenant had reported dripping from the gutter when it rains and thought it might be broken. The tenant said they had cleared fallen leaves from the gutter, however it hadn't solved the problem.
The landlord wanted to know who was responsible for keeping the gutters clear and maintaining them if they needed repairs.
Our advice
Our advisor began by explaining what the law says on repairs of this nature. Responsibility for clearing gutters is something of a grey area, however Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 creates a legal obligation for the landlord to keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair, therefore the responsibility for repairs lies with the landlord.
It was helpful of the tenant to have cleared the leaves and our adviser recommended that the landlord arrange a good time to visit the property, ideally with the tenant there, to take a closer look at the gutters, potentially with a professional, who will know what to look for.
If you would like further guidance on repairs to rental properties click here, or take a look at our Property Standards elearning course for landlords.
