One in three ‘accidental landlords’ breaking the law
Many “accidental landlords” are putting their tenants in potential danger and themselves at financial risk by not fulfilling their legal duties to maintain their rental properties.
Key findings of research carried out by AXA among accidental landlords (those who did not originally buy with the intention of renting out their property, or who are forced to continue renting out because they cannot sell at present), reveals:
A third of those questioned get their boilers checked less than once a year, and 23 per cent, only check every three years or less;
A similar number do not get other gas appliances checked every year, again, a legal requirement for rented properties. Statistics show thousands of people end up in A&E every year due to carbon monoxide poisoning and around 50 will die as a result;
Sixty five per cent of those with a chimney will get it swept less than once every three years. In 2011-2012 there were around 6,000 chimney fires in England alone;
Nearly a third check the electrics in their rented property less than once in three years. Half of all domestic fires are caused by faulty electrics;
Only 50 per cent of landlords get their fire alarms checked every year.
© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.