Do you own a house that you rent to tenants? If so, we recommend that you take the time to update your understanding on some of your key rights and obligations in renting.

Payment of Water Charges

If a tenant is liable to pay for any of the water costs at your property, you must request payment from the tenants within three months of receiving the water bill. If you don’t request in time, your tenant may not have to pay.

Provision of Instructions

You are legally required to take reasonable steps to provide your tenants with instructions for your property’s household appliances (such as the dishwasher). These instructions can be written or verbal.

The Condition of your Property

You are responsible for ensuring that your rental property is in a reasonable state of repair and cleanliness at the commencement of the lease. You also have a duty to make sure that you keep your property in a similar state of repair throughout the term of the lease.

Entering your Property

Your right to enter your property once your house is tenanted is quite limited. Typical reasons you can attend your property include to inspect the premises, to carry out maintenance, or in an emergency. Many of the grounds to enter your property require that you give particular notice to your tenants about when you will enter.

Your Lease isn’t Everything

In many areas a lease agreement cannot be inconsistent with the relevant tenancy laws. A lease agreement which attempts to enforce terms which the laws prohibit may not be legally binding.

There are lots of complex rules when renting your property to tenants. If you have any questions or concerns about your rights or obligations as a landlord, we recommend you speak to a solicitor at Kelly Kelly Legal and seek advice.

This article was written by Daniel Sparrow.