The landlord's case was simple: the rent hadn't been paid. Then, at the hearing, the tenant produced a list of repairs going back months, and a disrepair counterclaim. Suddenly the case was about the house, not the rent.
It's one of the commonest twists in the landlord groups. Damp and mould blamed on the building. Requests that grow after every inspection. And landlords who did fix things but can't prove when.
Why it catches landlords out
A counterclaim can reduce or wipe out the arrears, and it can make a judge slow to order possession on the discretionary grounds. What matters is the record: when was each problem reported, when did you reply, and when was it fixed?
If the answers are scattered across texts, calls and a plumber's invoice, it's your memory against theirs.
Your basic repair duties
- Keep the structure and outside of the home in repair (roof, walls, windows, drains, gutters).
- Keep the water, gas, electricity, heating and hot water working safely.
- Act within a reasonable time once you know about a problem.
- Give at least 24 hours' written notice to visit, unless it's an emergency.
How to avoid it
A repair log that stands up
- Ask tenants to report repairs in writing, with photos. Make it easy: one email address or one link.
- Reply the same day, even if it's just "Thanks, I'll get someone out by Friday".
- Write down each step: date reported, date you replied, date the trade visited, date it was fixed.
- Keep the invoices and the after photos with the report.
- Damp and mould: note what you found and why it's happening (a leak, ventilation, condensation), and what you did.
- If access is refused, record each attempt in writing. That matters too.
Most tenants just want things fixed. A clear log keeps the relationship good, and it's your best evidence if it ever isn't.
How Lordease helps
Bills, documents and messages are kept per property today. Coming soon: a repair log with photos, where every report, reply and fix stays on record with dates.