No handrail on stairs in rented house

horseykitty

I would think that if you had the EHO out for a HHSRS survey, they would deem a handrail necessary as you have a child under 5 and that is perceived as a vulnerable age group.

AnotherJoe

Install one yourself. Don't tell them. Expect to be evicted a year later as the LL seems wholly unreasonable and when they find out will no doubt be peeved..

Missus_Hyde

My sister has two beautiful Victorian terraces she rents as BTL's.; one had a lovely carved handrail and metal banisters, which unfortunately had quite wide slats between each banister ( I understand that legally there should be a maximum space between each one?)

Anyway, her tenant was very concerned that one of her small children might put his head between the railings and get it stuck and was angling for replacement new banisters with narrower slats. As my sister was a bit worried that a scenario like the scene in "Dad's Army" where Pike sticks his head through some railings and gets it stuck might arise, she actually bought some MDF and filled in the bannister space, which does the job, but didn't look so nice.

I did suggest that perhaps the tenant try and ensure the child did not put it's head through the banisters, but I suppose that might be rather difficult to enforce and my sister felt that if the spaces were filled in the situation couldn't then arise.

Madmel

Not wishing this on anyone but if you break your hip or leg, the physios advise using the handrail and one crutch to get up and down the stairs, DH and I have both suffered such injuries when away from home and thankfully had the requisite handrails already in place when we returned from surgery. As others have said, get it fixed yourself and either claim it back or make good the damage. Better safe than sorry

robatwork

You don't seem to have addressed the question about whether your landlady would have an issue with you putting in a handrail then taking it away when you leave - or leaving it there if she chooses.

I don't know why people are jumping to conclusions that your landlady is unreasonable - you knew there wasn't a handrail when you signed up and we don't have enough information to know if she is prohibiting you put one in. What does she feel about you putting stairgates in?

baldelectrician

You cant do the work without the landlords permission
Contact the local council (Trading Standards / Environmental Health) and ask for help.

If you are in Scotland the council have private sector offices that deal with private landlord issues as well as the Private Sector Housing Panel

AnotherJoe

robatwork wrote: »

You don't seem to have addressed the question about whether your landlady would have an issue with you putting in a handrail then taking it away when you leave - or leaving it there if she chooses.

I don't know why people are jumping to conclusions that your landlady is unreasonable - you knew there wasn't a handrail when you signed up and we don't have enough information to know if she is prohibiting you put one in. What does she feel about you putting stairgates in?

In the OP;

""With there being a wall either side we don't feel it's necessary and with the new tenancy to get the house right we have had lots of outlay in getting the house up to a good standard so this still isn't something we want done"."

Not "something we dont want to pay for, you could put it in at your own expense" but "something we dont want done" Full stop.

Its also foolish logic, in that having a wall both sides prevents you falling off them, not down them.

As for a stair gate that doesn't address the OP walking downstairs carrying a baby. Arguably it even makes it worse.

If the OP put one in then practically speaking shes got the term of the rental agreement with it, then she's probably out on her ear with a deposit dispute. I'd still put one in though.

LittleMax

AnotherJoe wrote: »

In the OP;

""With there being a wall either side we don't feel it's necessary and with the new tenancy to get the house right we have had lots of outlay in getting the house up to a good standard so this still isn't something we want done"."

Not "something we dont want to pay for, you could put it in at your own expense" but "something we dont want done" Full stop.

This was in reply to OP requesting for a second time that the LL install a handrail - we do not know what the response would be if OP asked for permission to install a rail at her own expense.

honeybee2345

Money_maker wrote: »

Many homes don't have a handrail. Teach your toddler to come down backwards if that's easier. Not sure why an adult would struggle to move up and down a staircase without a handrail even if pregnant.

Lots of people need a handrail. For example I do because I have weak knees and I could fall down. The OP is pregnant, she doesn't want to fall downstairs as she could risk her unborn child and she certainly doesn't want her toddler coming to any injuries.

Marvel1

honeybee2345 wrote: »

Lots of people need a handrail. For example I do because I have weak knees and I could fall down. The OP is pregnant, she doesn't want to fall downstairs as she could risk her unborn child and she certainly doesn't want her toddler coming to any injuries.

Perfect reason why she shouldn't have rented this place.