Let's face it, both tenants AND landlords must fulfil their half of the tenancy bargain if a rental property is going to work.

For example, landlords have responsibilities for a property's safety including its gas and electrical kit, supplying an Energy Performance Certificate and protecting their tenants' rental deposit. Tenants, on the other hand, must look after the property, pay their rent on time and not sublet.

Problems with landlord

But this balance gets upset when landlords don’t fix things within a property when they go wrong. This can include repairing or replacing dodgy boilers, fixing white goods such as washing machines, ovens and fridges or sorting out minor water leaks and electrical problems.

This assumes the rental contract says the landlord is responsible for these types of repairs. Some don't.

The question is, how long should tenants wait? One problem is that there's no specific law that sets out how quickly a landlord or agent should do relatively minor repairs and the government instead says landlords should keep a property “safe”, in “good condition” and that their properties should “meet safety standards”.

How long for a landlord to do repairs?

But legislation introduced in 2015 that was designed to protect tenants from retaliatory convictions DOES set a time-scale, although only in specific circumstances.

It says landlords should fix major problems within two weeks if they pose a threat to a tenant’s health and security, such as a broken boiler in the depths of winter.

As we've explained in a previous blog, if a landlord fails to do this then the tenant can report the matter to their local authority, who will start enforcement action.

One surprise is that landlords let properties get this bad. Recent research by Shelter shows that over a quarter of landlords have insurance policies that cover repairs, while nearly two thirds have money set aside to pay for them.

Landlord problems or your responsibility?

The most common types of property fix are:

Pest control

The list of creepy crawlies that inhabit most properties whether rented or not can be gut wrenching. Dust mites, weevils, carpet bettles, centipedes, spiders and ants all regularly march in and out of our homes, usually unnoticed. But there are some pests that tenants shouldn't have to put up with, and that their landlord should be told about including mice, rats, cockroaches and moths, all of which can have significant impacts on a home's hygience and structure.

Toilet and bathroom problems

Toilets, basins and showers take a battering particularly if there's only one bathroom and it's a shared house. Flushes stick, tap washers fray, shower drains begin leaking and shower hoses crack. But this is all wear and tear as fas as your rental contract is concerned. So it's time for your landlord to get their spanners out.

Water leaks

Most water and central heating pipes have to withstand huge pressures and, particularly in older properties, can be decades old and often leak. But if they do, call the landlord.

Hot water and heating problems

Gas boilers these days have to work hard to supply both hot water and heating and are one of the most common problems reported by tenants. But it's not their fault - landlords must provide the basics and that includes maintaining a property's heating system.

Lights on the blink

If a bulb goes, it's the tenants problem and not the landlords' responsibility to replace it.

White goods

If a property comes with a washing machine and a dishwasher then it's the landlords' job to repair them if they break down. But if it's becuase the tenant has damaged them, then it's not.

What if a landlord refuses to fix things?

If a landlord is failing to fix basic things such as leaky taps or broken toilet seats within a reasonable time (two weeks) then the best thing tenants can do is bombard them with requests and remind them that they could be in breach of the tenancy agreement. If it's more serious matters such as recurring and serious damp, a leaky roof or dangerous electrics then tenants can contact their local authority's housing office can contact their local authority's housing office and report their landlord.

CreditLadder can help you improve your credit score

If you want to improve your credit position by reporting your rent payments, CreditLadder is the only way to improve your credit score and position across all four of the main Credit Reference Agencies in the UK, namely Experian, Equifax, TransUnion and Crediva. Building up a high credit score has a lot of benefits, including helping you access finance at better rates - this can also help save you money.

CreditLadder also runs a free mortgage application service in partnership with Tembo which will tell you how much you could borrow.

Remember the information provided in this article is for information purposes only and should not be considered as advice.