As with most things in this country, there are stringent rules surrounding the renting out of property. These come into force for one room or that house you inherited from your mother’s ainted aunt. Ifr you rent out to several tenants – this then becomes a House of multiple occupancy, or HOMO for short. Even if you only rent out a spare bedroom in your own house occasionally, there are certain rules that mean you must recognise and act upon.
A landlord is responsible for keeping their rented property safe and in good repair. Whatever size room rented out, there must be safe equipmen. For instance a gas fire or gas water heater by the basin, must have safety checks by a gas safe registered engineer. All such appliances must have an annual safety check including the flue. They will always check there is a CO2 detector in a clearly visible place. The tenant must have a copy of the gas safety check record before moving in or within 28 days of the check.
It is a similar story with electrical items. All electrical sockets and light fittings up to cookers, kettles, microwaves etc must have safety checks. There are also comprehensive rules surrounding fire safety – a very comprehensive subject!