Buy To Let Mortgages

Buy To Let Landlord Restrictions and Considerations

As a landlord, you have numerous ongoing considerations and obligations, many of which are required by law. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 is the primary legislation in this area and any landlord, particularly one who is managing their own property, should be at least familiar with the contents of this Act.

What Repairs are the Landlord's Responsible
Unless the tenancy has a length of more than 7 years, the landlord is responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the property. This includes:
the structure of the property;
sanitary installations such as baths, water pipes, sinks and toilets;
in a flat, the part of the building for which the landlord is responsible and which affects the tenant; and
hot water installations.
Other repairs may be negotiated between landlord and tenant and a landlord can legitimately ask for a contribution towards other repairs, if the tenant is responsible for the damage incurred.

Gas and Electrical Appliances
As a landlord, you have considerable obligations to maintain the safety of the gas and electrical appliances in the property. This is often overlooked, as the amount of servicing required by a landlord is considerably higher than the requirements in a standard owner occupied residential property.

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 , the landlord must ensure that all gas appliances are in good working order and that the appliances are serviced by a registered CORGI specialist, on an annual basis. Evidence of this servicing must be given to the tenant, within 28 days of the check being completed.

Fire Regulations
All furniture and furnishings supplied must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Most furniture will be labelled in a way that makes it clear whether it meets with these requirements. If in doubt - chuck it out!

Summary
A landlord has numerous obligations to maintain the property and its contents;
these obligations are dictated by law and are non-negotiable;
additionally, annual checks are required on gas and electrical appliances and accurate records must be kept.