Vacuum vex
Question
Who is responsible for the maintenance of the vacuum cleaner in rented accommodation? Is it the tenant or the landlord?
Answer
Whether the tenant or the landlord is responsible for the maintenance of your vacuum cleaner will depend on whether the landlord provided it and what it says in your tenancy agreement.
Landlords have a legal responsibility for keeping certain things in the property in good repair. This includes the structure and exterior of your house and installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity. The landlord will also be responsible for maintaining any electrical appliances that were provided at the start of the tenancy, unless the tenancy agreement says that the tenant is responsible.
Check your tenancy agreement - if you have one - because they often say who is responsible for what. But it's important you know that the landlord cannot say the tenant must maintain items that by law the landlord must maintain, such as the roof.
If your landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the vacuum cleaner and you're having trouble getting it repaired, you can take action to get the repairs done. Before taking any action it's worth checking what type of tenancy you have. You'll then be able to see how easy it is for your landlord to evict you. This is important because some landlords may prefer to try to evict tenants rather than do repairs.
If your landlord has the right to evict you without having to give a reason, you may need to think carefully about what to do. This is the case for assured shorthold tenants and people who share accommodation with their landlord. Other things to consider before deciding whether to take action against your landlord are the seriousness of the problem and whether you want to stay in the property.
It might be useful for you to get further advice from your local Housing Aid Centre or Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) before deciding what to do next.
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Question answered by Shelter
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