TV aerial come off roof - is it landlords or tenants responsibility?

[MirandaWest]

Have realised that the aerial doesn't look like it's quite in the right place and presume it must have come off the roof with the wind last week. It is still attached but hanging onto the side of the house.

Generally use freesat as had had problems with freeview reception before but was wondering whether this is a landlord or tenant responsibility. Something like a fence would be landlord but feel this should be up to me.

Will call the letting agent to check (presumably if I do it they might need to check who I use?) but was wondering if anyone had any experience?

given that as the tenant you didn't actually climb up and pull it down ;-) it is your landlord's responsibility if he provided it.

of course if you don't use it, the landlord may decide simply to get it taken down - but either way it is his property and he needs to know so he can do something.

you certainly should not start incurring a bill for this and if you do without permission, don't expect it to get paid!

Thank you :)

Would never do it without permission and expect to be paid . Would people do that?

I would like to be able to use freeview again especially as I've realised there is an ordinary aerial point in the room with the television in. Will psyche myself up to call the letting agent.

Freeview requires a new aerial in some areas so you might find you can use Freeview again once a new aerial is up.

Freeview is working just with a rather pixelated picture .

I was replying to specialsubjects post saying the landlord might have the aerial taken down - I don't really want that to happen.

When I was renting we paid to get a better aerial.

I'm a landlord and I'm afraid I'd remove if there was a complaint. I actually put in my contracts that there is no working aerial.

Well I've tried the television again and it is ok at the moment so will leave it for now.

WaitingForMe I presume you mean you would remove the aerial not the tenant? It only occurred to me that possibly the landlord might be responsible after a quick google - my initial expectation would be that it would be me, and I was mainly wondering if I would need to use a certain person to have it covered for landlords insurance. I was wondering if it was a maintenance issue like when the dishwasher stopped working, or the shower stopped being at any temperature other than cold - it isn't a complaint in that sense.

But anyway I will give it a few days and see how it goes first.

I don't think the landlord has to repair it as they do not have to provide tv, however if they want to keep you happy and want to use one of their tradesmen to fix it then they might deal with it.

I'm a landlord and I would want to know. I would also fix it as (a) having a dangling aerial may cause danger or further damage to the roof that I would be liable for and (b) tenants generally like watching TV so having a working aerial is pretty fundamental.

I would imagine you have a clause in your contract saying you have to notify your LL if you notice anything amiss.

Ha ha yes the aerial not the tenant!!!

I encourage my tenants to contact me as I want to protect my investment and I'm not the kind of person who could sleep soundly if my tenants were without heating/had a broken shower.

well, if you want to use it (it didn't appear so from your first post) ask. Perhaps it can be repositioned somewhere to work better and/or be more secure.

why do you need to be 'psyched up' to call the agent? Don't leave it, if it is swinging about it could damage the property. As a responsible tenant you need to let your landlord know that there is a problem with their property, so they can fix it.

it is a maintenance issue - just because it isn't an urgent one doesn't make it any less important that you report it.

Called the letting agent and someone is going to come round to look at it. Thinking of it as a maintenance issue helped. Not sure why I do get worried about calling about things like this - I think it's because I don't want to appear as if I'm complaining.

not a complaint at all. Your landlord relies on you to tell him when something is damaged, and would also probably prefer that you ask if you are unsure about anything. Sign of a good tenant.

you are entitled to 'quiet enjoyment' which means the landlord can't come in without your permission, and leaves you in peace in your home. So he won't know about this kind of stuff unless you tell him.