When you are living in a rented place, most of the repairs are a direct responsibility of the landlord. However it is your duty to keep the house and appliances in good condition as well. This means that you need to keep the house in a good repair state.
As a tenant you need to make sure that you are treating the house in a good way. You are also responsible for informing the landlord about possible repair work in time. You also have to provide your landlord with premises access for making repairs.
Law For The Tenant
The law bounds the tenant to look after the house in a ‘tenant like’ way. What this basically means is that you have to make general repairs such as light and fuse changes. You also need to keep the house clean and make sure that you or your visitors don’t cause damage to the house.
You also need to use the fittings and fixture properly. For instance, in case of a toilet, you cannot flush out something that may cause a blockage. Your landlord cannot pass on any repair costs onto you or add something in the agreement that bounds you to make full repairs.
Law For The Landlord
Your landlord is responsible for making major repairs such as the exterior or the house and the structure. This includes the roof, walls, gutters, foundations, windows, drains and external doors. They are also responsible for the pipe work, toilet, bathroom, sink and basin repairs. Furthermore, they are bound to fix any issues regarding the fitted heaters and electric fires, gas fires, radiators, water tanks, electrical wiring and gas/water pipes.
Reporting To The Landlord in Time
You are bound by the state law to report any repair work to your landlord in time. They are only responsible for the repair work only if they are familiar with it. It is usually written in the tenancy agreement that you have to report repairs whether you think it is minor or unimportant.
Giving Access
You have to provide access to your landlord for repairs at all costs. There is a condition in the tenancy agreement that bounds you to do so. If it is a scheduled repair then your landlord needs to submit a written notice 24 hours prior to the process to let you know.
However, in case of an emergency, the landlord has the authority to break into your house to make the necessary repair. For example, if a water pipe explodes or there is a gas leak, the landlord can enter the house without prior notice. In such a situation, the landlord has to pay for any damages caused because of the break in.
So, Who Pays in Case of a Toilet Repair?
The reason why we went into things in depth is to make sure that you understand the situation. If your toilet is blocked then it is important to know what caused it. If it was blocked because you flushed something that wasn’t supposed to go down the drain, then the expense is on you. however, if the toilet is clogged because of poor maintenance by your landlord, then you can ask your landlord to pay for the suction.
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