Rental maintenance

[lotusbell]

Rented my house for 3 years and while the landlord is good at getting things done reasonably promptly (temperature on our shower couldn't be adjusted, plumber came out, got us a new shower, fitted it etc) there are a lot of maintenance jobs that I feel need doing. For example, both the front and back gate are falling apart. The back gate actually fell off a while back and someone came out to re erect it but it really needs replacing completely. The front door works but us falling apart as well, needs repainting etc. The external paintwork is shabby and the brickwork in the yard needs repointing. While I know all this costs money, do landlords not have an obligation to undergo routine maintenance? Is it up to me to request it? Whenever we've had a property check, they only seem bothered that we're keeping it clean and tidy and we've not wrecked the joint. I'm just wondering as it's the first rental I've had where I've felt the house needs some work doing.

I think unless it’s a problem that is damaging the property some landlords won’t do anything until things become really dire. I like to make sure my properties are well maintained as up keep is cheaper than remedial work, but not all landlords feel the same.
However I don’t see some of the properties I own as I live far away, so yes by all means tell the landlord or letting agents what repairs need going with photos if possible. It really is in their best interests, and they may not know what state things are in.

@pipandmum, thank you that's really helpful. Maybe I should take some photos and email them to the agency as its them who come to do the property checks when required. I think my landlady is local but as far as I know has never been to the house while we've been here. I think she will only do work which is absolutely necessary. For example, when we moved in, the bathroom had a tiled floor, the same tiles are in the walls. As they hadn't been laid properly, they were just put on the floorboards, over time they had become uneven, some had cracked and the grouting had come away - at first, they told us to just fill the grout in ourselves but after a while, it was happening more and more. They got someone to pull up all the tiles and lay a very cheap, thin lino. As a result, there is a gap about 1/4 inch from the floor to the bottom of the tiles on the wall, which they didn't bother to fill in, or put beading round. It's not massively unsightly, but to me it looks unfinished and scruffy. I told the agency and sent photos of how it had been 'left' and they weren't really bothered.

As above, some landlords aren’t bothered with non-essentials.

Some will bother (me included) by then the properties I rent out are very done up and I charge a premium for them.

You could write a letter and attach photos and see what happens. I don’t know the legal details but imagine that the landlord obv needs to swiftly repair things like boilers or bathrooms or kitchens not working. But having a gap between the lino and the tiles or repointing are a compeletely different.

Our rental agent mentions if there is any non urgent maintenance to be done. I then agree a time scale with them.

Thank you for the perspectives, very helpful!