Whose responsibility? - Loft Ladder

jensven

Hi,

I am a new landlord and I had a question I was hoping someone might have the answer to.

We have a small loft space which our tenants are able to use if they like, there is no built in loft ladder and the ladder we currently use is old and a bit broken and probably not safe, so we will not be leaving it behind. I am wondering if as landlords we are responsible for providing a new ladder for loft access or whether it is up to the tenant? The flat is unfurnished.

Thank you.

abankerbutnotafatcat

If you advertise the property as having a loft for storage then I think you need to provide a ladder. If not then you don't. Just my opinion, though.

societys_child

Wicks - from £33.49

http://www.wickes.co.uk/ladders+platforms/loft-ladders/icat/tsloftladd/

Thrugelmir

Is the loft part of the property? Or is the hatch just an access route to a communal space?

G_M

As said, if you make the attic a selling point, then you'll need to provide access, and it will need to be safe. You will responsible for accidents if you provide an inadequate access.

Best to provide no ladder, and not highlight the attic. If the tenants then choose to use it, using their own ladder, you will not be liable.

marleyboy

My house has no loft ladder, I cannot think of a property I have rented where a loft ladder was included as such would assume it is something I would have to purchase myself, even then only after asking my landlords permission to install one.

Were I to rent a property that stated accessible loft space, I would probably expect a ladder at the very least but would not be surprised if the Landlord said "No the hatch is the access"

jensven

Thanks for the answers and the link. The loft is inside the flat so not communal. We did not specifically advertise it, but did mention it as potential storage when showing tenants round.

dimbo61

Is the loft fully boarded out and does it have a light?
I would avoid the use of a loft if only because the tenant might put a foot through the ceiling or fall down the ladders while accessing the loft area.

googler

dimbo61 wrote: »

Is the loft fully boarded out and does it have a light?
I would avoid the use of a loft if only because the tenant might put a foot through the ceiling or fall down the ladders while accessing the loft area.

It's also likely to have cold water tank, pipes, and cabling for lighting - all of which present trip hazards for the unwary tenant.

Unless you board it, light it, and fence off all the hazards, just don't provide a ladder, and don't advertise the property with a loft. And put a lock on the attic hatch.

tbs624

If the letting is to exclude the use of the loft then the AST would have to stipulate this - you can't just slap a lock on the loft hatch

taffy056

I concur, I insulate a lot of lofts in my job and advise landlords to put a padlock on the loft hatch to stop people going up there, lofts are not meant to be storage areas. And unless boarded out there is a possibility that the tenant or the items that are put up there could come through the ceiling.