Landlords called out for tenant ’emergencies’ from lightbulbs to leaks

Landlords summoned to address what a tenant describes as an ’emergency’ find that many of these issues prove to be minor inconveniences.

A study by Direct Line business insurance reveals that 65% of landlords have been contacted to urgently handle trivial matters.

These include replacing lightbulbs (22%), cleaning carpet stains (18%), assisting inebriated tenants locked out of properties (17%) or even unclogging dishwasher filters (15%).

However, alongside these less urgent requests, landlords frequently confront serious issues requiring immediate action.

Over the past year, 62% of landlords have had to find emergency contractors, with 72% of these call-outs occurring after regular business hours.

Dealing with genuine emergencies

The firm’s head of landlord insurance, Jonny McHugh, said: “Tenants call on their landlord for all sorts of issues, and while some requests may raise an eyebrow, landlords also need to deal with genuine emergencies, such as no heating or water leaks, that can cost hundreds — or even thousands — of pounds to fix.

“When that happens, landlords are under pressure to respond quickly and effectively to property emergencies.”

He added: “The good news is that handling these situations well can help strengthen the landlord-tenant relationship.”

Landlord emergency repair costs

The study found that the typical cost for emergency repairs averages £621, though some cases, like roofing issues (9%), heating failures (8%) or plumbing problems (6%), can rocket to £2,500 or more.

Boiler and heating breakdowns top the list of urgent tenant complaints, affecting 39% of landlords.

That’s followed closely by water leaks (35%), lack of hot water (28%) and clogged drains or toilets (28%).

Other issues include electrical failures, broken locks, burst pipes, structural damage, pest infestations and broken windows.

Response can improve relationships

However, not all reported tenant emergencies need professional intervention with nearly half (49%) requiring a tradesperson.

Another 21% were resolved by landlords themselves, and 11% were fixed by guiding tenants through simple solutions.

Direct Line says that by successfully addressing these problems, 22% of landlords noted improved rapport with tenants afterwards.

For more help and advice about landlord insurance, contact the team The Home Insurer: