Is landlord responsible for saftey catches?

katkins7

Hi,
Can anyone help please?!
We are renting out a top floor flat through a letting agency and have revied an email from them advising our tenant wants safety catches put on all the windows as she will have grandchilden staying some weekends and doesnt feel the low opening windows are safe. They are replacement sash windows and the bottom part opens outwards but not a huge amount as it is.
The letting agency have given us a quote of £130 for the work but I am unsure if this is our responsibility???
Please could someone advise as the letting agency are no help with such matters.

Thank you!

Alter_ego

Do you want the catches fixed to your flat's windows? I think they should be asking permission, not asking you to fund it.

lolarentt

It's up to you, assuming there's nothing in your agreement on this subject. You can agree to fit these, or say if they want them you give permission for them to have them fitted by an approved supplier (the letting agency sounds fair enough). You can of course also refuse the request.

deedee71

I don't know about who is responsible BUT what would happen if the tenant goes ahead and does a DIY job on your windows?

Maybe you could agree that she pays for the safety catches and you get in a reputable firm to do the work? Seems a relatively small price to pay.

Don't think I would go with the quote the letting agent has provided, given they aren't forthcoming with info on who is responsible.

G_M

You could refuse - they agreed to rent the property as it is.
You could agree - it's not a lot of cash and keeps your tenants happy. Happy tenants stay longer, pay more regularly, trash things less...
You could give permission for them to install the catches using the agent', or your own, contractor - you end up with free catches installed properly and the tenant ends up with safe windows.

Final warning. Say you refuse. Say the grandchildren come to stay. Say one of them opens a window and falls out...

a) how will you feel?
b) would / could a court say you had negligently ignored a risk which had been brought to your attention in writing by your tenant.....?

I do not know the answer to either question!

Alter_ego

deedee71 wrote: »

I don't know about who is responsible BUT what would happen if the tenant goes ahead and does a DIY job on your windows?

In that case I imagine the LL could charge to reinstate at end of tenancy.

deedee71

And if the cost comes to more than the tenants' deposit? A lot of time and hassle expended later, when a relatively small sum would resolve the issue.

GM has covered the eventualities above, and makes a lot of sense OP.

Alter_ego

deedee71 wrote: »

And if the cost comes to more than the tenants' deposit?

DD You posed a question, I answered it. I'm not suggesting the OP should take any particular route.
Now you've answered my answer with another question. Lets stop.

tyllwyd

I found this from RoSPA which says that there is no obligation to fit catches.

http://www.rospa.com/faqs/detail.aspx?faq=232

But if it was me, now that it has been brought to your attention I would get the catches fitted - it's not a huge cost and it would avoid any possibility of accidents.

In our last house, we had bottom opening sash windows and a toddler, and ended up getting catches fitted. The worst window was no more than a foot off the ground, and the weight of the window meant that it swung open of its own accord - the idea of a toddler hanging onto the handle and getting dragged out of the window didn't bear thinking about!

katkins7

Thank you all for your posts, lots to consider!

prudryden

The expense is tax deductible so the cost is even less. And you have a happy tenant which is worth a lot these days.