It's the Renter's Responsibility Just like mowing lawns and trimming hedges, part of regular maintenance involves cleaning gutters. If the lease says “regular outdoor maintenance” or “landscape care”, there is a valid argument that the tenant should clean the gutters. And now, let's get back to our main topic. Although tenants have a responsibility to keep the rented property in good condition, take care of the garden, and address minor repair issues, cleaning and maintaining gutters is often a landlord's obligation.
You see, the landlord is responsible for keeping your investment in rental condition and when gutters suffer normal wear and tear problems, it is NOT the tenant's job to remedy them at their cost. And to confirm the above, the RTA (the Residential Leasing Authority) clearly stipulates who is actually responsible for cleaning gutters in a rental property, as well as some exceptions to the rule. How often your property requires gutter cleaning will vary depending on how many trees you have around the property and, more importantly, how often these trees shed their leaves. You may be able to negotiate some terms that are good for you, such as cleaning the gutters to reduce that month's rent.
However, if you have specific tree species in your garden near the house that shed flowers and leaves during the summer, inspecting and cleaning your gutters then and later in the colder months will save you from worrying about both fire hazards and water damage to the property. There is no “standard lease” and while there are laws governing property leases, these laws don't necessarily prevent the landlord from trying to hold you responsible for cleaning gutters. If gutter cleaning is not specifically described in the agreement, the tenant can ask for clarification of the problem and reach an agreement that is acceptable to both the landlord and the tenant. It's definitely a gray area, and many tenants aren't aware of what's expected of them when it comes to cleaning gutters.
Keep calm and allow them to arrange a professional gutter inspection and cleaning service, during which the cause of the problem can be easily determined. If you are a tenant and want to arrange a gutter cleaning service, it's a good idea to first talk to your landlord to determine when it was last performed and who should arrange this service. While cleaning gutters is a very simple process, it's one of those things that will take you an entire afternoon if you don't know what you're doing. Therefore, regular gutter cleaning ensures that fallen leaves and twigs, tree flowers, and sometimes insect, rodent and bird nests and debris, are removed in time and long before major blockages occur.
Paying a tenant's medical bills and lost wages will cost you much more than paying to have gutters cleaned professionally every two years. It's also a smart financial option, as the system will pay for itself, as it can skip gutter cleaning sessions (and can avoid costly liability issues). It is always advisable to hire a professional company not only to protect your property from damage, but also to avoid any accidents that may occur when trying to clean the gutters yourself.
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