Seven landlord repairs tenants should not pay for

A radiator that stays ice-cold on the first morning of November, a black patch spreading above the bed, a toilet cistern that leaks without stopping: everyone knows that moment when a home seems to demand money at exactly the wrong time. Many tenants pay for work that is not their responsibility, either through exhaustion or fear of a dispute. Yet a landlord may be required to cover expensive repairs, even when the issue initially looks minor. The line between ordinary wear and tear, age-related deterioration and everyday minor repairs can sometimes seem blurred. It should not be quite so unclear. After all, a bill worth several hundred euros can affect an entire month. A few key habits can make all the difference.

When a property ages, the tenant does not always face the bill

In an older flat, problems seldom arrive on their own: a window no longer shuts properly, a wall becomes damp and the heating starts to falter. However, under Article 6 of the French Law of 6 July 1989, the landlord must provide decent accommodation and keep its equipment in working order. This includes major failures caused by age-related deterioration, building defects or an installation that has become unsafe. The tenant, meanwhile, is responsible for routine upkeep and minor repairs. The distinction is straightforward on paper, but far less so in everyday life.

A common first example concerns the roof, external walls or concealed pipework. Where water ingress is caused by a crack in the façade, a displaced roof tile or a faulty waste pipe stack, the landlord is responsible for the repair. The same applies to mould resulting from poor insulation or a malfunctioning shared ventilation system. Léa, a tenant in Lille, believed for a long time that the black marks in her bedroom were caused by her own habits. An expert appointed by the insurer eventually found a leak in the building’s roof. The work cost almost €2,000, but none of it came out of her bank account.

Heating is another frequent source of confusion. A tenant must arrange servicing for an individual boiler where the tenancy agreement requires it, and replace small items such as a seal or a thermostat battery. By contrast, a boiler that has failed because of its age, a defective radiator or a communal system that no longer provides heating are the landlord’s responsibility. Living with 15°C in the sitting room is not a minor comfort issue. If the equipment can no longer heat the property normally, the landlord must take action, unless the breakdown is clearly due to misuse or a lack of maintenance for which the tenant is responsible.

The seven landlord repairs to identify before paying

The first step is highly practical: notify the landlord in writing as soon as the issue appears. A dated message with photographs will often prompt a more serious discussion than a hurried phone call. Ask for an assessment whenever there is uncertainty about the cause of the fault. The seven repairs most often involved concern the structure and water ingress, major pipework, ageing heating systems, unsafe electrics, windows worn out through age, worn sanitary fittings and pests caused by the condition of the property. Keep every exchange. It helps prevent selective memories later on.

Electrical problems need immediate attention. An old consumer unit that repeatedly trips, sockets that become hot, exposed wires or a missing earth connection are not simply inconveniences: the landlord must make the installation safe. The same is true of a bath cracked through age-related deterioration, a hot-water cylinder at the end of its life or shutters jammed by a worn mechanism. Let us be honest: hardly anyone reads the decree on tenant repairs line by line every day. Even so, agreeing to a quotation too quickly can cost several hundred euros unnecessarily.

If a landlord is slow to respond, do not stop paying rent on your own initiative: that mistake can be used against you. Instead, send a recorded-delivery letter with acknowledgement of receipt, then contact your local Departmental Conciliation Commission or the ADIL housing advice service for your area if matters remain unresolved.

“The tenant must carry out routine maintenance of the home, while the landlord is responsible for repairs made necessary by age-related deterioration, a construction defect or force majeure.”

The cases requiring especially close attention are:

• water ingress from the roof, façades or communal areas;
• leaks in concealed pipework or ageing installations;
• replacement of a worn boiler, radiator or water heater;
• making an unsafe electrical installation safe;
• windows, shutters or doors deteriorated through age-related wear;
• sanitary fittings that have become unusable through no fault of the tenant;
• pest control or rodent treatment resulting from a defect in the building.

Asserting your rights without turning daily life into a battle

The challenge is not only about the rules themselves; it is also about the discomfort of having to make a request. You may worry about seeming demanding, complicating the relationship with the letting agent or receiving a frosty response. Yet reporting a leak, a smell of gas or persistent mould is not asking for special treatment. It is asking for a home that remains safe and habitable. A detailed check-in inventory, dated photographs and maintenance invoices provide quiet but valuable protection. Age-related deterioration is not the tenant’s fault.

Before arranging any urgent repair, try to contact the landlord and retain evidence of the steps you have taken. Where a genuine danger makes rapid action necessary, it may sometimes be possible to call a plumber without waiting, but supporting documents will be essential when seeking reimbursement. The question remains simple: is this a routine everyday maintenance task, or is the equipment deteriorating because it has reached the end of its useful life? That distinction changes everything. Sharing your experience with other tenants, seeking advice from ADIL or rereading your tenancy agreement can also help dispel a very common feeling: that you are facing an expensive breakdown alone.