Tenant information
How does the scheme affect you?
The property in which you live should be safe for you to live in. The landlord should make sure your home is free from any serious risks as listed in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
Coventry City Council will be inspecting all privately rented accommodation within the identified areas over the next 18 months. It is hoped that these inspections will be carried out with the cooperation of both tenant and landlord with the result of improving the quality of private rented accommodation.
Your rights and responsibilities
The landlord is responsible by law for certain repairs. The landlord is responsible for repairs to the structure and exterior of the property, sinks, baths, and any other sanitary installations within the property. They should also make sure there is suitable heating, although the law is a little vague on what type of heating this should be.
The tenant must do minor jobs, like replacing fuses, or clearing a blocked sink. They must also repair damage that they or their visitors have caused.
You should report any faults or damage to your landlord immediately and give him a reasonable amount of time to carry out the work. If your landlord fails to carry out the repairs, you should contact the Housing Enforcement Team, which can make your landlord carry out certain repairs.
Landlords have a responsibility to undertake repairs to your home and will need access to do this. If access is required, a landlord is required to give 24 hours written notice of their intention to enter at what must be a reasonable time. A landlord does not have the right to enter your home without your permission except in an emergency or into communal areas that the landlord is responsible for maintaining, for example, in a block of flats or bedsits.
Tenancy issues
A landlord is now required to provide a tenant with prescribed information in the form of a copy of How to rent: the checklist for renting in England. The guide is to help you understand what questions to ask, what your rights are, and what responsibilities you have.
If you are not sure what kind of tenancy you have, you can find out using Shelter's Tenancy Rights Checker.
The law protects people living in residential property against harassment and illegal eviction. It does this in two ways: by making harassment and illegal eviction a criminal offence, and by allowing someone who is harassed or illegally evicted to claim damages through the civil court.
The law makes it an offence to:
- Commit acts likely to interfere with the peace or comfort of a tenant or anyone living with them; or
- Persistently withdraw or withhold services for which the tenant has a reasonable need to live in the premises as a home.
- It is an offence to do any of the things described above intending, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that they would cause the tenant to leave their home, or stop using part of it, or stop doing the things a tenant should normally expect to be able to do. It is also an offence to take someone's home away from them unlawfully.
If you are concerned about any aspect of your tenancy we have guides to help you and a dedicated Landlord and Tenant Liaison Officer. Please see our private renting web pages.
Our Climate Change and Sustainability Team may be able to support you with improvements to your home that links to ECO and other funding.
How you can get involved
We are encouraging all tenants to have their properties HHSRS assessed. If you would like an EHO to inspect your property, please contact the Housing Enforcement Team at HousingEnforcement@coventry.gov.uk or via telephone on 024 7697 5495 and mention the Pathfinder Project. Please ensure that the property that you would like to be inspected falls within the project area.
