Repairing Obligations — landlord obligations in England
You must keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair, including installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation, and heating. This applies for leases under 7 years (with some exceptions). You are not liable until the tenant or someone else tells you about a defect. You cannot contract out of this duty without court authority.
The law that creates this obligation
Your obligations as a landlord
- Who this applies to: All landlords under leases for a term of less than 7 years, excluding certain old leases (pre-24 Oct 1961) and agricultural holdings.
- When it applies: Throughout the lease. You only need to act after receiving notice of a defect.
- What you must do: Keep repair records and records of responses to tenant reports of defects.
What good evidence looks like
Your compliance file should contain
- Written record or document confirming this obligation has been met
- Date of compliance — email timestamp, signed receipt, or platform log
- FastPass available: Self-attestation is sufficient as the law does not require specific documentary evidence.
Upload or log repair records and responses to tenant reports about defects.
Record this obligation in your LettingsLedger workspace
Upload evidence, set reminders, and build a timestamped compliance record — all in one place.
Consequences of non-compliance
A tenant can take civil action for damages and/or ask the court to order you to do the repairs.
Further reading for landlords
LettingsLedger is a compliance evidence governance platform. It is not a legal services provider and does not provide legal advice. Content is derived from UK primary legislation at legislation.gov.uk and official GOV.UK sources. Reflects the position as at June 2026. A GovProtocol product by Pertheo Limited.