I’m thinking of being an accidental landlord - renting out while I rent in a different part of the country.
The radiator in the bathroom doesn’t work but the rest of the central heating does. It’s a messier job rather than just new valves/new radiator to fix it.
Given that it’s not a habitable room, is it realistic & legal to rent out with the bathroom radiator out-of-order provided that tenants/potential tenants are informed upfront? And them have no grounds to ask for it to be fixed mid-tenancy?
As long as it is made clear to tenant at the start there is no requirement to provide heating in bathroom.
Whether this is feasible depends on layout of property. I have 1 without a bathroom heater but is surrounded by heated rooms and good insulation so is generally ok. I have a reliable long term tenant who is happy with it but by not providing heating you are increasing risk of damp issues which are likely to be considered your fault if no heating in bathroom.
eventually you will have to fix this rad , have you had a quote for it? It will cost more to fix in the future. I think heating in the bathroom is essential as its the place where you have the most need of it unless you shower with your clothes on.
Becoming an accidental landlord while renting elsewhere is a feasible idea, but it’s important to ensure that your rental property meets legal and safety standards. In many places, habitability standards require that all rooms, including bathrooms, have proper heating. Even if it’s not habitable, you might still be legally obligated to provide a functioning radiator. It’s advisable to consult local housing regulations and possibly seek legal advice.
Informing tenants upfront about the non-functional bathroom radiator is a good practice, as transparency is essential. However, this doesn’t necessarily exempt you from addressing the issue if it’s a legal requirement. Tenants may still have grounds to request repairs, especially if they consider it a necessity during their tenancy. It’s crucial to understand your legal obligations and balance them with tenant expectations to maintain a positive landlord-tenant relationship. Always consult with a legal professional for advice tailored to your specific situation.
A bathroom is a habitable room and unless there is another bathroom in the property, there has to be heating available in there. You cant explain away or contract out of your repairing obligations.
Not saying that you’re wrong but we know somebody who lives in a council flat, and there’s no radiator in their bathroom. Or are council properties are exempt?
bathrooms , utility rooms clossets are not classed as habitable room s ,unless this changed in the last year. Having said that, to have no heating in it would not go down well with the Local housing officer
My applogies. There are various definitions of habitable, but its quite right that building regs doesnt include bathrooms as habitable.
However, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System which Councils use to enforce standards in rented properties says “The bathroom should have adequate heat light and ventilation”, so a bathroom with no heating would not pass inspection".