It’s a very thin line to tread. Both parties are very eager to avoid plumbing costs and arguments who fixes a blocked pipe have been known to elevate pretty quickly here around the UK. We blame the weather for that and not the people. It’s easier if there was a set of rules for who pays for what. Turns out, there actually is. Let us run you through them so next time you don’t have to battle out against one another.
It’s the Law!
Your toilet is blocked either from within your house or from the pipes leading from it down to the sewer. The law is clear in the matter that;
I) The Landlord is required to take care of the pipes leading from the house into the sewer. He is also required to fix the outer drains if need be and he is also to unblock a sewer if it has been blocked. Now all of this seems pretty dandy and it looks like the landlord has to take care of everything however that in not the case.
Ii) The Landlord is not required to fix or maintain waste pipes that have been blocked or damaged because of the tenant’s improper use of it. This means that if your kid rolled a little boulder down the drain to stop an alligator escaping, you pay. The landlord will not be responsible for fixing the issue. We advise you take the money out of the child’s allowance, one to educate him and two because it’ll be fun.
Take Care of Your Crib
It’s your housemates. You’re going to be the one living in it and trust me a blocked toilet is going to take out all the good vibe from your lair. Another good reason to call the plumber is because your landlord can make you do this because the law gives him the power to do so. We didn’t believe it either but apparently;
The tenant is required to replace the toilet bowls, wash basins etc. but he/she is also required to fix them if they are damaged. The same applies for drainers and even for sinks, can you imagine? However, what that means is that if your drain is blocked because someone used too much toilet paper then your landlord will not be responsible. Tough eh? We think so too, trust us.
(Landlords Community of England and Wales laugh in the background)
Don’t get down too quick though. The landlords are stilly by law required to repair anything that is damaged by usual wear and tear, so if you polish that china really good your landlord still has to replace it every couple of years, much to his distaste we assume.
Sneaky Tricks
If you’re worried that your landlord is swindling you and trying to get you to repair faulty products, don’t be. Know that by law your landlord is obligated to replace anything faulty installed from him own pocket. Our law does have its wonderful twists does it not?
We hope you now spare your throat and your neighbours the next shouting match that was scheduled between you and Mr Jones.
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