Repairs and maintenance are the sole responsibility of the landlord unless the tenant is at fault or there is some intentional damage caused by the tenant. Usual maintenance or expected repairs are taken care of by the landlord, unless stated otherwise and agreed upon by both parties in the tenancy or lease agreement.
A tenant must keep the property and the premises clean, damages must be reported immediately and the property should be in reasonably good condition at the end of the tenancy term. The tenant is responsible for all unreasonable damages caused by the occupants or by the guests who would frequent the property. Tenants are not permitted to make any changes that would alter the foundation, structure and condition of the property. Cosmetic changes that don’t impact the immovable fixtures of the property are permitted by most landlords.
A landlord is expected to deliver the property in a clean and expectedly liveable condition at the time of moving in. Regular maintenance and expected repairs must be attended to in a timely manner. Reasonable repairs due to wear and tear of different fixtures are always taken care of by the landlord.
Usually, landlords and tenants agree upon a date when the repairs or maintenance would be carried out. There are exceptions though. Urgent repairs call for emergency responses and in such cases the landlord or the tenant may not seek notice from each other. Landlords or tenants can attend to problems like failure in gas supply, electricity, water supply, issues with water heater, cooking, cooling, or laundering, security lapses, damage caused by a natural disaster, burst pipes, failed necessary or basic appliance, fixture like taps or toilets, roof leak, gas leak, electrical fault, flood damage or fire damage.
Tenants should also let their landlords know of the fixtures or amenities that need repairing or maintenance. Landlords should respond to the notice and act accordingly. Both parties can agree upon a date and get the repair or maintenance done. If the landlord doesn’t respond, then the tenant can file a complaint with the tribunal. If the landlord is not allowed by the tenant to enter the property or to carry out the repairs and maintenance, then the landlord can take it up with the tribunal. The ruling of the tribunal will be binding on both parties.
Tenants and landlords can always agree to get the repairs or maintenance done and later get compensated by each other per the pre-set terms.
