Italian
Proper and regular rental property maintenance is essential for keeping the apartment in good condition and for hosting satisfied tenants. It is the Landlord’s duty to prepare the apartment before a new tenant moves in. This includes not only cleaning the apartment but also, among other things, having all appliances inspected regularly and checking that all appliances work properly, that the pipes are not blocked, that the kitchenware is complete etc.
After check-in, it is not always clearly defined who (Tenant v Landlord) should fix or maintain what? As Users of this site we hope both Landlords and Tenants will take advantage of the following article as a guideline of fair maintenance responsibility.
Landlord’s duties and responsibilities
Before check-in, the Landlord should:
- Clean the apartment;
- Ensure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working;
- Provide clean towels, linen and pillows in good condition
- Replace burned out light bulbs;
- Confirm that air conditioning functions properly; clean air-conditioning filters and ensure all units are charged with gas for at least 3 months;
- Replace batteries in TV, air-conditioning and other remotes;
- Clean dish-washer filters and add salt;
- Clean washing machine and clean washing-machine filters;
- Clean taps and shower heads from calcium;
- Clean inside of the refrigerator and freezer and ensure there is no build up of of ice;
- Eliminate any mold present;
- Ensure drains aren’t blocked.
- Ensure hot water boiler is set appropriately and functioning;
- Ensure citofono and keys work;
- Confirm internet functions;
- Check that all appliances work (TV, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing-machine, microwave, AC etc)
- Provide basic cleaning supplies for the tenant (broom & dustpan, mop & bucket, detergent, toilet paper, new dish cloth and detergent, clothes washing powder)
- Recommended furnishing list here
Tenant preventative maintenance and schedule
Being proactive is always more convenient than reactive and it is recommended that as a tenant you should get a technician ideally every 3 months or at most every 6 months to come and do several maintenance tasks such as:
- clean or change tap filters,
- clean or change shower head,
- clean and unblock drains,
- clean filters in washing machine and dishwasher
- clean toilet flush (calcium deposits)
- clean air conditioning filters
- check the hot water calcium filter,
- check batteries in remotes and smoke and Co2 alarms.
- check light bulbs
- clean stovetop gas rings
For those that want to give it a go themselves, take look at this house maintenance guide.
Or hire a handyman who will knock it out in 2-3 hours (all going smoothly) of work + material and a good investment to help having a stress-free life.
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Ongoing Maintenance
Tenant v Landlord – Who should fix what?
| Maintenance issue | Landlord | Tenant |
|---|---|---|
| PLUMBING | ||
| Leakages or broken pipes |  | |
| Blocked toilet or drains or taps | | |
| Hot Water Boiler Safety compliant and serviced (annually) | | |
| Hot Water Boiler Buy and replace the calcium filter (every 3 months or when necessary) | | |
| Heating Cleaning of radiators of calcium and bleeding etc, leaks | | |
| AIR CONDITIONING | ||
| Gas, cleaning of filters, remote batteries For stays 3 months + | | |
| Gas and cleaning of filters, remote batteries For stays 3 months - | | |
| Broken Remote Normal wear & tear | | |
| Broken Remote Misuse ie being dropped ie cracked screen or cover etc. | | |
| APPLIANCES In general, the Landlord’s responsibility however if negligence or misuse, Tenant can be held responsible | ||
| Internet Contacting supplier (Telecom etc) for malfunction or downtime etc. Landlord should give Tenant all necessary info to be able to call support including passwords, username etc For stays 3 months + | | |
| Internet Contacting supplier (Telecom etc) for downtime etc. For stays 3 months - | | |
| Oven | | |
| Oven Due to misuse ie cracked glass door, not cleaned regularly this becomes the responsibility of the Tenant | | |
| Stove Top | | |
| Stove Top Due to misuse because of blocked gas holes due to cooking liquids overflowing and blocking etc | | |
| Washing Machine | | |
| Washing Machine Due to misuse ie pump breaks because the filter hasn’t been cleaned | | |
| Dishwasher | | |
| Dishwasher Due to misuse ie pump breaks because the filter hasn’t been cleaned | | |
| MINOR MAINTENANCE | ||
| Light bulbs, batteries for remotes or smoke alarm & Co2 alarms, | | |
