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Legal advice for landlords
2008-11-17
Landlords have a legal and a moral duty to ensure that their property management is within the law and keeps their tenants free from safety risks, an expert has said.
Councillor Maureen O'Mara, cabinet member for neighbourhood services at Woolwich Council, has said that landlords are encouraged to obtain legal advice to put things right in their properties.
Among the potential hazards which emerged in a recent case heard by Woolwich Magistrates Court, was the functionality of a property's fire alarm system and the need to regularly inspect fire extinguishers.
A sufficient number of fire doors for the tenants' rooms or flats, gas and electricity safety accreditation and an installation certificate for fire alarms and emergency lighting were additional legal issues noted.
Buy to let mortgage-holding landlords should keep a two-year record of safety checks on all gas appliances, flues and pipework, before handing a copy to individual tenants before they move in or within 28 days of a check being completed, according to the Health and Safety Executive website.
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