Chimney sweep and inspection payable by tenant in TA?

[mrsaneperson]

Just wondered if anyone is adding this to their TA that the tenant is responsible for yearly inspection cleaning and inspection or at least one time before they leave the tenancy.

It should be a user pays policy since if the tenant does not use the chimney then no cleaning and inspection fee is incurred to either landlord or tenant.

[jimO]

costs $80 for a professional chimney sweep, i get my house and the hovel done at the same time

[Kaye]

It's my understanding it's part of your insurance policy to have your chimney swept by a professional chimney sweep once a year.

[mrsaneperson]

costs $80 for a professional chimney sweep, i get my house and the hovel done at the same time

So you on charge it to tenant and put it in as part of the cleaning bill after tenant departure?

[mrsaneperson]

It's my understanding it's part of your insurance policy to have your chimney swept by a professional chimney sweep once a year.

Some insurances perhaps .

[Kaye]

No these are long term tenants so I charge it back to the owner and email the receipt to her and keep the hard copy in case Insurance Co needs to sight it

[mrsaneperson]

It should be able to be legitimately written into a TA as an expense chargeable to the tenants. I would only exercise that user pays right to charge if the tenant uses the fireplace.

There are certain things that are expenses regardless if the place was tenanted or not such as rates , house washing etc which one cannot charge to the tenant but where fair use exists and there's a direct cost resulting then tenant should IMO be charged but it would be best written into the TA to make it clear.

[jimO]

So you on charge it to tenant and put it in as part of the cleaning bill after tenant departure?

i just pay it, im not renting this house for the money

[ATM]

It should be able to be legitimately written into a TA as an expense chargeable to the tenants. I would only exercise that user pays right to charge if the tenant uses the fireplace.

There are certain things that are expenses regardless if the place was tenanted or not such as rates , house washing etc which one cannot charge to the tenant but where fair use exists and there's a direct cost resulting then tenant should IMO be charged but it would be best written into the TA to make it clear.

I think the landlord should pay for the cleaning once a year whether the tenant uses it or not. I wouldn't leave it to the tenant to clean it and what would happen if they don't clean it but one of their guests might use it (without knowing it is not to be used). To save just a small amount of money at the cost of the house being burnt down ... I wouldn't take the risk. If the chimney is not to be used, make sure it can't be used by locking it etc.

[Perry]

If the chimney is not to be used, make sure it can't be used by locking it etc.

How does one lock a chimney?

[Sharon]

TT wont agree to this and potentially see it is as an illegal clause. If not then ive got it all wrong around carpet cleaning, stove elements and the like.

[mrsaneperson]

TT wont agree to this and potentially see it is as an illegal clause. If not then ive got it all wrong around carpet cleaning, stove elements and the like.

Well it should be a user pays policy. I was successful at TT in claiming light-bulbs that were missing from sockets or that were dead. Why should chimney cleaning be any different? If it was clean and inspected close to the time the new tenants moved in then the same applies when they move out . This goes for carpets too. There are of course somethings that would be an expense to the landlord regardless if the property was tenanted or NOT so these are the expenses i understand i cannot charge the tenants example rates . Gardening, lawns is chargeable but apparently pruning is somewhat grey area. Though i only charge my tenants for the lawns.

[mrsaneperson]

TT wont agree to this and potentially see it is as an illegal clause. If not then ive got it all wrong around carpet cleaning, stove elements and the like.

The tenant must have the carpets clean at the end of the tenancy if that is what they were at the beginning. So if you see that the carpets are not clean , hire a professional and get him to write on the invoice carpets were not clean. That way you are covering yourself .

Stove elements i fork out out of my own pocket as wear and tear.

[Viking]

Unenforceable according to Tt.

[Perry]

Unenforceable according to TT.

Do you have a reference for that?