New landlord advice

Noodles_33

I am due to rent out my property soon , part furnished to a family. 

I plan to make the blinds child safe as the cords are very long. Do I also have to secure the wardrobes to the walls or is this not required? I’m reluctant incase they want to move the position of the wardrobes. 

Thanks 

Grumpy_chap

Noodles_33 said:

I am due to rent out my property soon , part furnished to a family. 

I plan to make the blinds child safe as the cords are very long. Do I also have to secure the wardrobes to the walls or is this not required? I’m reluctant incase they want to move the position of the wardrobes. 

Thanks 

Have you engaged the services of a Letting Agent?

Have you researched the various rules and obligations of being a LL?
Why are you letting the property part-furnished?  (Whatever part furnished means.)

Stubod

Ideally....

......do not become a landlord...

......failing that get rid of any furnishings before renting....

FlorayG

To answer your actual question, no your don't unless they are the type of wardrobe that SHOULD be attached to a wall. Items have to be safe, so you are doing the right thing with the blind cords, but it's not a regular occurrence that people pull over a wardrobe is it?
I'm assuming you have all the other necessary legal requirements. Are you sure you want to let part furnished? If the furniture is some that you really like and want to keep long-term, renters won't look after it, and if it's just 'there' and you can't be bothered to move it out you will still be liable to replace it for them when it's ruined

ButterCheese

Wardrobes should all be fixed to the wall.  Yes it's an uncommon occurance but you're not going to be there saying to kids or adults "don't swing on that".  If you must supply wardrobes then make sure they can't be pulled from the wall.  In the event of an accident, you will be found negligent no matter how unlikely the event seems.

Also as the above poster has said,  whatever you choose to leave there (furniture etc) will mean that you are then responsible for replacing it if it gets broken, damaged beyond use or just gets old.  I did leave a couple of bits in my rental to help out the tenant but I specifically stated in the contract that these were "freebies" and I was not responsible for replacing/maintaining them.

If you're lucky and have good honest tenants then renting can still be ok.  But do your research and be very careful who you get in.  Basically you'll have a hard job getting anyone out if they don't want to go (if for example you want to move back in or sell the house).  Even if you do everything by the book, and serve all the appropriate notices, you can't physically get them out easily if they refuse.  As usual, a minority of both LLs and tenants behaving badly have ruined it for everyone

Bookworm225

ButterCheese said:

Wardrobes should all be fixed to the wall.  Yes it's an uncommon occurance but you're not going to be there saying to kids or adults "don't swing on that".  If you must supply wardrobes then make sure they can't be pulled from the wall.  In the event of an accident, you will be found negligent no matter how unlikely the event seems.

link to Govt evidence of such a rule please?
Private renting: Your landlord's safety responsibilities - GOV.UK

under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) the council could (not will) evaluate risks in the property. A child strangling itself on a blind cord is a risk, so in that sense you are being (uber) careful, but  preventing (I assume) a freestanding piece of furniture from being toppled over is way over the top in terms of risks. Yes it is a potential risk, but there is no requirement that you have to attach free standing furniture to the fabric of the building to prevent such an accident. 

Health and safety standards - rented homes - Shelter England

ButterCheese said:

Also as the above poster has said,  whatever you choose to leave there (furniture etc) will mean that you are then responsible for replacing it if it gets broken, damaged beyond use or just gets old.  I did leave a couple of bits in my rental to help out the tenant but I specifically stated in the contract that these were "freebies" and I was not responsible for replacing/maintaining them.

agreed

tacpot12

Bookworm225 said:

... but  preventing a freestanding piece of furniture from being toppled over is way over the top in terms of risks. Yes it is a potential risk, but there is no requirement that you have to attach free standing furniture to the fabric of the building to prevent such an accident. 

Is it? If there is a simple fix that can prevent the death of a child, why would you not do it? I agree there is no requirement to do so, but not everything that is wise is required.

Grumpy_chap

FlorayG said:

 if it's just 'there' and you can't be bothered to move it out you will still be liable to replace it for them when it's ruined

Indeed, when we first let, we had a kettle and a microwave that we just left because it meant we did not need to remove them.  In fact, we offered to removed them, but the tenants were getting first home and said they'd like them.
When each in turn failed, we had to pay to replace.
We would have been better to take the items out, do the inventory, and then gift the kettle and microwave back to the tenants.

ButterCheese

Bookworm225 said:

ButterCheese said:

Wardrobes should all be fixed to the wall.  Yes it's an uncommon occurance but you're not going to be there saying to kids or adults "don't swing on that".  If you must supply wardrobes then make sure they can't be pulled from the wall.  In the event of an accident, you will be found negligent no matter how unlikely the event seems.

link to Govt evidence of such a rule please?
Private renting: Your landlord's safety responsibilities - GOV.UK

There doesn't have to be a "rule" or law in order to exercise common sense.  I've seen videos online of toddlers climbing up a wardrobe and it toppling on them.  It can be fatal.  For a little bracket and some screws, why would you not?  Remembering that you are not in control of what a tenant or their children get up to.  Fair enough, if it's your house and kids then you know what you can trust them with and what you can't, but there's no way you can control that if you're not living with the tenant.

Bookworm225

ButterCheese said:

Bookworm225 said:

ButterCheese said:

Wardrobes should all be fixed to the wall.  Yes it's an uncommon occurance but you're not going to be there saying to kids or adults "don't swing on that".  If you must supply wardrobes then make sure they can't be pulled from the wall.  In the event of an accident, you will be found negligent no matter how unlikely the event seems.

link to Govt evidence of such a rule please?
Private renting: Your landlord's safety responsibilities - GOV.UK

There doesn't have to be a "rule" or law in order to exercise common sense.  I've seen videos online of toddlers climbing up a wardrobe and it toppling on them.  It can be fatal.  For a little bracket and some screws, why would you not?  Remembering that you are not in control of what a tenant or their children get up to.  Fair enough, if it's your house and kids then you know what you can trust them with and what you can't, but there's no way you can control that if you're not living with the tenant.

the OP is a new LL with little knowledge going by their post
they asked the question do they HAVE to, they did not ask is it wise to 

You stated they had to be fixed, that is not correct.
Common sense answers don't need giving as they are common sense, incorrect answers need to be clarified.

Lots of properties are let part or fully furnished, their contents are not screwed to the walls or floor as it is not a requirement to do so