According to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents,
the home is the most common location for an accident to happen. If
you rent a property from a Landlord, the Defective Premises Act
1972 imposes a duty on your Landlord to prevent personal injury or
damage to property caused by a defect in your home. This obligation
and duty of care not only apply to you and your family, but also
anyone who may visit your property. This can include common areas
which you, your family or visitors use to access the property, such
as halls, stairs and lifts.
The duty is owed if a Landlord knows, or ought to have known,
about the repair or need to repair, even if you have not told your
Landlord. The Landlord's obligations also extend to ensuring
that gas and electrical equipment has been safely installed and
regularly maintained. The Landlord will also be responsible for
repairs to the structure and exterior of the property, as well as
heating and hot water systems, basins,
