Repair Work on rented House ???

@akp100 (13640)
India
July 25, 2011 7:00am CST
Hello Friends In morning I went to my friend's home. He is living in a rented flat. When I reached their He was doing some serious chatting with someone. I came to know that he was chatting with the person who is leaving in the same building, in fact below to his flat. Now that person was telling my friend that to do some repair work in his balcony in water pipes. Because from that pipe water was coming to that person's flat. Now my friend already shown that thing to one plumber. And he told him that pipes got damaged more and it will cost little more. So my friend agreed for that because below flat's people were suffering more because of that. So all problem got solved in the end. Now I was thinking about this. I mean even I am living in rented house now. But if something got damaged in rented house and its repairing costing is too high then isn't it duty of owner of that house to repair it.?? What you say??
3 people like this
13 responses
@sjvg1976 (41131)
• Delhi, India
25 Jul 11
Hello AKP, It is basically the house owners responsibility to bear the repair charges and they do in most of the cases also. As we had a flat in DELHI which we had rented to some students and there was always a problem of water choking,electricity faults etc & every time they used to call my father and my father used to make arrangements for the repairs & bear the charges for it.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
That's the better and fair way.. I must say you and your father are the good owners. But in my friends case, Owner is just ignoring this. He called the owner many times but he was making excuses.. So in the end he had to pay for those repair work.
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
25 Jul 11
Hi akp Ask me? Why should the landlord even care to listen about the issues of tenants? These landlords know that once the tenants leave, they will always get better paying tenants and a few more months or years would pass.... This is exactly what I have learned during the past few years. At one place - when I did the flooring right as there were many places the flooring had got damaged, the landlord said- who asked you to repair? I am not going to refund or adjust in the rent(I never asked him for this). And the current landlord - he knows the power and other issues, but doesnt care and pretends he never knew about them. Now we are leaving and the new tenant he found is willing to pay 1000 more than us. So the landlord is quite happy that we are leaving. I think he would give us a farewell party too
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Who asked you to repair??!!! How can he say that !!! Too bad. I know you just moved to new rented house. And yes its quite true that there are many tenants their after us so landlords don't care about our comfort. But they should care. About flooring and all work is necessary for the people who living in house but repair work should be done by owner.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
26 Jul 11
By law it is the owner responsibility to repair any damages in his rented building. It is not the tenant's obligation to repair any defaults in his rented house. The tenant is only responsible to pay his monthly rent and to keep the place clean at all times. It is unfair to pass the bill to the tenant as he is paying for the accommodation free from any defects and the owner should should see that his property is free from any defects and is in good condition.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Yes true.. Tenant responsibility is to keep clean the house. And if there is any damage done by tenant then its okay to pay, otherwise it is the owner's responsibility to take care of the things.
1 person likes this
@marinarovi (1318)
• Argentina
26 Jul 11
I believe that depends on each country's law. In my country, all repairs are the owner's responsibility, unless he can prove the people living in the house caused the damage on purpose or wrong use of things. Apart from that, apartment building's water pipes are responsibility of all the co-owners of the building, because they are considered shared parts. Other parts they have in common and have to repair as a whole are the external walls, the roof, the foundations, and the piping.
• Argentina
3 Aug 11
Then if your friend is happy we're all happy, akp100
@akp100 (13640)
• India
6 Aug 11
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
I don't know much about rules here. But i thinks that its owner's duty to bear high cost repairing work. But in my friend's case he already paid it so its happy ending for all.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Jul 11
Yes here it is the owner of the house who has to make the repairs and not the tenant. That is odd that the tenant has to make such repairs. I could see if the tenant intentionally damaged something, but still the landlord here would fix and then charge the tenant if it were the tenants fault. So it is odd that your friend would be doing so unless it is different there then it is here in the US. Oh if your friend is the owner of he apartment then yes your friends will have to fix. Like here owners of apartment/flats as you call them are considered condos so then the person who owns the flat fixes but not if he is renting it.
• United States
26 Jul 11
I know it is different by you but here if a landlord does not do repairs we are to put in writing and prove we sent the information to the landlord. In which we are asking what needs to be repaired if they do not respond then we have the right to make the repairs and deduct the cost from the rent.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
25 Jul 11
My friend is the one who had rented that house. But still he had paid it. I already talk to him about this that mostly owners have to paid this payment. But He wasn't looking convincing. He told me that He has the meeting with the owner in couple of days and he will try to cut that amount from his next rent.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Quite good and fair rule..
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
26 Jul 11
Anytime some one rents, it is always the responsibility of the owner to make the repairs. As long as you notify the owner about something that needs fixing. This way everything can be fixed on a timely fashion.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Yes but in this case owner is not listening .. And ignore this stuff. Well surely it is duty of owner to take care of these things.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
26 Jul 11
One of the benefits of renting is that the owner is responsible for ALL upkeep unless he damage is caused by the tenent. There is no way that the tenent should be investing time or money without compensation.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Yes it is not the responsibility of the tenant unless damage has been done by tenant. Otherwise it is the responsibility of the owner to take care of these stuff.
@shibham (16977)
• India
25 Jul 11
Now i am living in a rented room due to my job and there is an another family as rented. The owner of the houses is very poor, thats why we two share all the moneys for any repairing case... some times the owner deducts it from fare and sometimes not.. depending on situation. have a nice day.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
25 Jul 11
That is fair if owner is doing that. And its quite nice that you also bare some of payment because of owner's situation.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
25 Jul 11
I am sure it's not your friend's obligation,and he so considerate and kind to shoulder all the expenses when it's should be the house owner's obligation to do so. If ever this happens to me,I will coordinate with the landlord and tell them about the problem. If they cannot provide immediate solution I will do same thing that your friend's did,but will asks the landlord to deduct the expenses from my rent. I think that's a good bargain :)
@akp100 (13640)
• India
25 Jul 11
Yes that's a good suggestion. I will pass it to my friend.. House owner was making some ex-cues , So he have to paid for that. But he can cut those payment from his rent.
@rameshchow (4426)
• India
25 Jul 11
It is the owner's responsibility to repair his home, when they are giving rent to someone. But majority are showing negligence.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Yes most of all don't care about it..and leave all burden on them who have rented house. And yes as it is owner's house surely its his responsibility to do repair work.
@surekharathi (14146)
• India
25 Jul 11
Yes friend this is duty of owner to repair if any damaged in rental house your friend is great so he is ready to bear the loss. But actual house owner duty to check full and if any damaged in it then repair it. If I was there then I will not ready to repair pipe. If pipe is break due to me then I bear the loss otherwise not. This is not fair.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
25 Jul 11
Well.. I have told my friend to cut the repair cost from the next rent. But he wasn't sure on it. But he told me that he is meeting owner in couple of days and he will talk to him about it. Surely its our fault then we should bear it.. otherwise owner should pay for that.
• India
25 Jul 11
Ofcourse it is the work of the owner it is a common man's thought. But, if we do our own repair work in the rented houe, because if we wait for the time when the owner comes, it will be too late to make a small repair. So, make hay when it is hot. On the different way, think in a proactive way and do the work of repair in the rented house.
@akp100 (13640)
• India
25 Jul 11
Yes true.. But as per good owners responsibility owner should have cut this money from next rent from my friend.. I have told about this to my friend. Owner hasn't meet with my friend yet but he will meet him in couple of days... Then it will be decided.
• Philippines
26 Jul 11
I think its not the owners responsibility anymore because when you rented the house it is considered that all the responsibility to the house becomes yours ..
@akp100 (13640)
• India
26 Jul 11
Its not the meaning that its not the owners responsibility because owner is giving the house on rent not on sale. So it is still owner's house. And the one who are renting the house will not going to stay their permanently , so why should they do those repairing work.