Hi, my new tennant has mentioned that one of the windows in the upstairs bay window is stiff to open. We we aware of this when we purchased the property, however, there the remaining 3 windows in the bay are fine. My question is, do I need to seek a professional to remedy the stiffness? I’m relatively new to becoming a landlord but have always actioned any concerns raised immediately as I am a right worrier. That said, I am finding this particular issue falls under a grey area for me. Any guidance / advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Only a few things are definitely your responsibility eg cooker ,heating system,hot water ,toilets/drainage.
Everything else is a grey area . Eg you wouldnt be expected to change a lightbulb but joinery problems are grey areas.
If the tenant is good and pays the rent ontime you should help out either do it yourself or send a handyman/joiner. Keep a good teant happy and you will keep a good tenant .
The windows are definitely your problem. Anything that contributes to the structure of the building is the landlord’s responsibility. This cannot be wavered under any circumstance.
They can be a source of exit during a fire.
They are first floor windows.
You have an obligation to check if your property is fire safe and safety secure not just at the beginning but throughout the tenancy .
These checks should be every three months.
Are they wooden or pvc or metal frames?
Are they egress compliant ?
Do they have fire restrictive hinges ?
If less than 800 mm from the floor is the glass toughened .
Get a local window repair company to fix them
If they are PVC it may be as simple as just loosening a couple of the hinge screws and or oiling them so they open with ease.
Oil mechanisms and hinges twice a year. Windows, like everything, require maintenance. In the long run it’s to your advantage as you get longevity out of your product which is much cheaper than replacement these days.
I understand your argument will be three opened so what difference does it make?
The way you should think about it is if you are in court, the lawyer will ask how much did it cost to repair vs damage or loss of life.
People don’t think rationally in an emergency.
Thank you, that really helps. I will arrange for the window to be checked.
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