Landlords under fire over dangerous properties

Some landlords and agents are putting tenants' lives at risk by disregarding important health and safety issues.

That, at least, is the verdict of LetRisks which said both should make regular property visits to inspect for essential repairs and reduce the risk of tenants being exposed to dangerous and potentially life-threatening hazards.

LetRisks cites research by housing and homelessness charity Shelter which showed that one in nine renters said their health had been affected by their landlord or agent's failure to carry out repairs or deal with poor conditions in their home.

Gas safety, electric and fire issues were the biggest and most dangerous hazards for people living in rented or shared accommodation.

Damp or external leaks were also a problem for many.

LetRisks Managing Director Michael Portman said: "Many tenants are at risk from poor health and safety in their rented accommodation, and agents and landlords have a legal 'duty of care' and as such, should be making regular visits to their properties - ideally every three months - to check for health and safety problems and repairs.

"They, or their agent, should also respond quickly when a tenant notifies of them of any faults in the property and should encourage open dialogue with their tenants so that any problems can be rectified quickly.

"The Defective Premises Act requires damages to be paid on the part of a landlord, where a tenant or resident is injured, or dies, as a result of a defect which the landlord is responsible for repairing (or simply has the right to come in and repair).

"This extends to paying compensation for personal belongings which are destroyed or damaged as a result. So it is imperative that agents check that a property meets all the safety requirements before it is let and if they are managing agents, that they make regular visits to the property and deal with problems quickly and efficiently."