How many tenants does it take to change a light bulb?

Reply to the comment left by Nick Faulkner at 22/05/2023 - 11:00
My agent recently undertook a periodic inspection and found that two of the electrical sockets had been ripped off the wall. The agent also found a smashed sink that only have been smashed by a heavy object e.g. steel hammer. The sink was broken but not dangerous.

All three issues were picked up with photos. My response was that all three issues were due to tenant misuse. I instructed the agent to arrange for the repair of the electrical sockets because that is a safety issue but that if the tenant wanted the sink replaced then the rent would need to go up.

Previously my tenants have managed to rip light fittings off the wall. The first time this happened the tenant said, "...the light has come off the wall. Is that you or the electrician." What I did that time because it was obvious that the tenants' children had ripped the light off the wall was to remove the wall light and cover it with a blanking plate to make it safe.

The second time a wall light "...fell off the wall" I paid for an electrician to replace it. If it keeps "falling off the wall" I'll put a blanking plate over it to stop it "falling off".

This kind of misuse is frustrating but in reality these repairs typical cost £50-80 each time so not high. Your only choice is to eat them and keep pushing the rents up; my experience of tenants is that children do more damage than pets so its worth looking at light fittings through the eyes of a child and considering just how easy they are to grab hold of and pull, or swing on. With most light bulbs I replace these with LEDs wherever I can do so easily as LEDs aren't just energy efficient, they also last a long time.

Reply to the comment left by SCP at 22/05/2023 - 10:44
I would suggest that if you need to look it up on YouTube then it's most likely outside the scope of the average tenant. As a tenant I have cheerfully done many things because I am competent and generally can't be bothered to hassle anyone. However I can see massive pitfalls with that approach especially writing it into an AST. My fist question on that would be to confirm indemnity for any accidents as that seems like a clause that could grow arms and legs.

Reply to the comment left by Paul Power at 22/05/2023 - 11:47
I think the other thing to add is document what you do.

At the last gas inspection arranged for me by my agent I got a bill for the fitting of a CO alarm in the room that had the gas fire. The last time I was in the property myself (about 6 months before that inspection) I checked CO and smoke alarms and fitted a CO alarm with a 5 year life span in the correct position. So that for me begged the question "...what did the tenants' children do to or with the last CO monitor."

It's a mistake to think that you can keep tenants safe. What you do need to do is make all reasonable efforts to provide safe accommodation, document the fact that you've done it and keep records.

We always check light bulbs and co2 and fire alarms when it comes to bathroom lights we get are electrician to do it cause they can be a pain to change

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 22/05/2023 - 10:56
Unless an LED sealed unit, which need to be replaced by an electrician, but should last 1000's of hours, bathroom sealed non-LED light globe or whatever simply unscrews to access the old bulb and replace with a new one.

My tennant has been there for 18 months and it's 'managed' by Your Move as I live abroad. About 6 weeks ago she told me that the kitchen strip light hadn't worked since being there , she'd informed Your Move who did absolutely nothing, didn't even tell me. There are other kitchen under cupboard lights which she has been using. She said she'd changed the flourescent bulb & starter (I wasn't aware of any of this going on) but it still wasn't working so left it alone....thank god !
I contacted my EICR electrician who popped round and after testing he said the fitting was faulty and put in a new led light. All is bright now but Your Move have had a *ollocking and warned of their future 'management' conduct.
My advice is to deal with electrics asap and take no chances.

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 22/05/2023 - 14:57
I'm capable of unscrewing the screws from a non-LED bathroom light globe and replacing with a new one. If anyone has one of these that isn't LED I'd be inclined to change it because I doubt many of my tenants would have had the wit to change the bulb. But whatever you do, record the fact that you've done it.

I had a tenant that couldn't reset the trip on the lights so one evening the trip did it's job and the lights went out. I got a bill for an electrician from the letting agent of £75 for emergency callout replace blown bulb and show tenant how to reset trip. I just sucked it up

Reply to the comment left by SCP at 22/05/2023 - 10:44
I've just gone through a similar experience. My AST states tenant is responsible for changing bulbs, but the tenant said it was too difficult. I would have done it myself, but was unwell and then on holiday, so I asked if some temporary battery strip lights would be OK for now. They agreed, and I sent them. They aid they were OK, but last week said they weren't.

I asked my agent to send an electrician, which will cost me. On balance, safer to get it done professionally and suck up the expense, because it's too much hassle to try to get the tenant to pay. I'm already subsidising the tenant, so what's another £100

Reply to the comment left by David Smith at 22/05/2023 - 11:19
I think you should go and change the bulb yourself and at the same time show the tenant how to do it next time if it's easy enough to do. Maybe write down the instructions and give them to the next tenant who moves in so you aren't faced with the same problem. But I do agree with other posters that old light fittings in bathrooms can be a nightmare.