It’s the time of year when so many students across Leeds will be moving into their new houses for the start of class in September. As a student in a shared house, it doesn’t mean you have less rights as a tenant. As we specialise in student lettings in Leeds, we are here to ensure you know your rights.
Landlord access
Even though your student property is owned by the Landlord and you are renting it off them, the landlord, letting agent or people acting on their behalf can’t visit the property unannounced, without at least 24 hours notice. The only time when a landlord or letting agent doesn’t need to give 24 hours’ notice is in an emergency, such as a flood, gas leak or a crime has taken place.
Safety
Your landlord is required by law to ensure you’re student property is safe for you to live in.
Firstly, there must be a way to escape a fire, whether it be an additional exit to the house or fire windows.
There must be at least one smoke alarm on every floor of the building which is used as living accommodation, and if your property is classed as an HMO, then your landlord is also legally required to fit a fire extinguisher.
While the landlord is responsible for making sure the fire alarms work before you move in at the beginning of each tenancy, it’s important to check in the contract who is responsible for checking they work during the tenancy, as it might be you.
All gas appliances in the property must be checked each year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. There should be a record of every check kept at the property. The landlord or letting agent is also legally required to ensure any electrical equipment they provide is safe. If you’re bringing new electrical products into the home, this will be at your expense unless the electrical ones provided by your landlord are unsafe.
Repairs
Your landlord is responsible for most major repairs, including any faults with:
- The structure of the property
- Plumbing
- Wiring
- Heating and hot water
- The safety of gas and electrical appliances.
Small repairs such as lightbulbs, doorbells and fuses, are usually down to the tenant. Also, if there is any damage caused by yourself or your guests, you will have to be sort it as it is your responsibility.
Eviction
- There are a number of legal reasons why a landlord can evict you, these include
- Being at least two months late on rent
- Being regularly late with your payments
- Breaching any of the terms of your tenancy agreement
- Letting the property fall into an unacceptable state
- Subletting a room without permission
- Causing serious nuisance to the neighbours
- Using the property for illegal purposes, such as dealing drugs
- Refusing to leave the property at the end of your contract.
However, If you feel like you are being unlawfully evicted, seek legal advice, as it is illegal to evict without a court order, only a bailiff with a warrant can do so.
