Do Landlords Need To Supply White Goods In Cambridge?
This section of our site advises Women in Cambridge on their rights as tenants and landlords.
White goods is the term generally used for full-size appliances and equipment in and around the kitchen, such as the fridge-freezer, dishwasher, or washing machine.
The term stems from the fact that many of these items are often supplied in a neutral white colour. Hence, white goods.
Necessities of the landlord
There are many preconceptions about the necessity for landlords to supply certain key white goods to their tenants as part of the tenancy agreement.
While some landlords may offer a new fridge if you sign up for 12 months, or an updated washing machine if you sign the agreement today, there is no legal requirement at all to supply any of these facilities. It is entirely up to the landlord. Click here to find out about being a tenant.
However, as a prospective tenant, you will probably find that most rental accommodation does indeed come already supplied with some white goods. By failing to provide what many tenants now perceive to be basic and essential amenities, you may well be putting off a lot of otherwise profitable tenants, who just aren’t able to purchase/transfer a whole range of white goods from one property to another.
With this in mind, for a small outlay, it may well be worth providing the necessary essentials to ensure that tenants can feel right at home straight away making your option much more attractive and less hassle for them.
Obviously, all white goods which are supplied by any landlord must be in a perfectly usable and safe state of repair. Likewise, any electronic or gas-powered appliances must be safe and have any corresponding certifications. Get in touch.
However, as a landlord, you are not responsible at all for any other white goods that the tenant may buy or use in the property during their stay. If it is a Cambridgeshire holiday let, then the answer is always a firm yes.
What should tenants do when in need of repairs?
In terms of repairs and servicing of white goods, many tenants assume that the landlords are fully responsible for this as well. It is actually made fairly clear that white goods do not form part of the landlord’s repair or maintenance obligations under ˜Section 11 of the ˜Landlord & Tenant Act 1985.
It should, however, state within each tenancy agreement who is specifically responsible for repairing the necessary white goods. Find out what’s required in buy to let properties.
From our experience, most landlords prefer to purchase white goods with a 3- to 5-year warranty. This way, any unplanned outlay is minimised and if they need repair outside the warranty period, then that probably means it’s time for something new anyway.
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