Who Is Responsible For Blocked Drains: The Tenant Or Landlord?

Are you involved in a tenancy agreement, whether that be a rental property for personal or commercial purposes? If this is your situation, we are sure you’re wondering how much responsibility is under your name when considering the property?

Have you ever experienced any damages, resulting in a head to head feud? Or maybe your landlord takes accountability for their ownership, maintaining all areas of the property? There’s no one fits all approach sadly in a common tenant and landlord agreement. For some, a significant blurred line is present when considering liability.

For example, a frequent question experienced by our team here at RPD includes… ‘who is responsible for blocked drains, the tenant or landlord?’ Does this resonate at all with your current situation? Or maybe you’re looking to plan ahead, just in case a blockage occurs?

Blocked drains can and will happen if a lack of ongoing maintenance is present. This can become a headache for both parties, resulting in piles of dirty pots and pans, and a hefty plumbing bill. However, who is at fault? Is the blockage caused by you, the tenant or is there a deeper plumbing issue, under a landlord’s duty of care to resolve? In this type of situation, a simple resolution is highly unlikely, unless ownership is taken for the blocked drains.

See below a breakdown of the best steps to take when considering who is responsible, along with services to alleviate blocked drains. If you require assistance, here at RPD, we are plumbing and drainage specialists, providing effective solutions for our customer. Get in touch today to resolve your blocked drains.

The Facts Behind Tenancy Agreements

If you’re living with blocked drains, wondering who is responsible for their recovery, whether that be you the tenant or your landlord, accountabilities will usually be outlined in the initial tenancy agreement.

In common tenancy agreements, landlords do take responsibility for exterior or structural maintenance, including drains, foundations, the roof and walls. Therefore, in a straightforward case, a landlord’s duty of care will be a legal requirement stated in a contract, becoming responsible for the blockage.

However, no scenario is usually as easy as this. Within tenancy agreements, the understanding that tenants are responsible for damages once they’ve moved into the property is communicated. Therefore, this blurs the argument of who is responsible and who isn’t.

Let’s consider an alternative scenario to identify responsibility. If little damage occurs to a property, say a high-quality wall becomes covered in food, this issue can easily be resolved by you, the tenant. After-all, this sounds like a consequence of an accident. In short, legislation states how tenants are responsible for any minor repairs to décor, along with appliances. However, if damage resembling blocked drains develops in the property, which cannot be recovered by yourself, the responsibility lies with the landlord to resolve.

Now although the battle of who is responsible for blocked drains, the tenant or landlord may have been determined, for most, the desire to maintain a fair relationship is present. The most appropriate way to do this will be to abide by legislation in place within tenancy arrangements, ensuring that the end result is a mutual decision.

If you are living with blocked drains, and the pots and pans are starting to take over the kitchen, here are some effective ways to resolve this issue…

How To Resolve Blocked Drains Effectively

If you are either a tenant or landlord searching for a solution to unblock your drains, contacting an emergency plumber will firstly be recommended. Drains are highly relied upon, carrying water throughout the structure. Therefore, attempting to resolve this yourself may cause more harm than good.

Here at RPD, we have a wide range of services in place to recover damaged or blocked drains. Firstly, to understand the extent of the blockage, a CCTV drain survey will be required. There are many reasons why drains may become blocked in the first place, therefore, this survey will help to gauge the most appropriate resolution moving forward.

If a general blockage is present, our high-pressure drain jetting service will be offered. This is an effective and efficient service to resolve blocked drains. However, in some cases, drains may become damaged, resulting in the requirement for a repair or a replacement. We also offer both services here at RPD, selecting cost effective solutions, using the latest technology. This will ensure your pipe work is highly functional, reducing the likelihood of continuous blocked drains.

If you are concerned that a blockage may occur, there are some steps to take to avoid this situation. Our expert recommendations include the avoidance of any unusual items which shouldn’t be flushed. Our technicians regularly find baby wipes, toys and even technological items causing blockages. In some cases, blocked drains can happen innocently and are quite common. However, ensuring that consistent maintenance is kept, along with acting quickly if any blockage signs occur will reduce your bill.

Drainage Solutions Here at RPD

If you’re experiencing gurgling noises coming from your drains or a strong, unpleasant odour, blocked drains could be on the horizon. In this situation, it is best to notify your landlord, along with reaching out for support through an emergency plumber.

Although answering the question ‘who is responsible for blocked drains, the tenant or landlord?’ may still be causing conflict, the best route forward is to ensure the issue has been dealt with. Living with blocked drains is highly unpleasant. Likewise, owning a property with blocked drains can damage the structure, resulting in greater destruction long-term.

If you are considering entering a tenancy agreement, whether as a tenant or landlord, it is important to consider the extra costs linked to maintenance. If you are from either party, looking to unblock your drains, here at RPD, we can help. Our wide range of specialised plumbing and draining solutions will help to resolve your blockage issues. Get in touch today to arrange a call out, including our CCTV survey service. From here, the most cost-effective solutions will be recommended, to leave you with functional drains quickly.