Looking after your property

You are responsible for the repair and maintenance of your property. This normally includes anything to do with its structure, both inside and out.

It also includes providing basic facilities, which may be missing, like a bath, shower, a hand basin or hot water. You are not responsible for decoration; this is usually the tenant's responsibility. However this does depend on the tenancy agreement and the amount of damage caused by any repairs to your property.

If you are a landlord of a house of multiple occupation, (HMO) like a bedsit, shared house or a house converted into flats, you have extra responsibilities. These include provision of adequate fire protection, cleaning communal areas of the property and ensuring the property is not overcrowded. You may also need to obtain a licence to run certain HMOs.

For more information, please contact the Southwark Council Private Sector Housing and Public Health team.