Advice For tenants Small fixes you can do
UK · For tenants · DIY
Small fixes tenants can often do themselves
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Looking after a rented home in a “tenant-like” way usually includes a few small, safe jobs. This page lists typical examples for private tenants in England, and draws a clear line at gas, electrics and anything the landlord must repair.
Your call
Go or no?
If it is a small, safe job that is yours to do, give it a go. We’ll point you to a beginner guide and a short shopping list. If you’d rather not, or the work needs a trade, say no and we’ll help you find someone local. If the job is the landlord’s, report it to them first.
Right then. Here’s a sensible starter kit, and links to the relevant guides.
No problem. We’ll show you how to find a local tradesperson.
This is about England
Most of what follows is written for private renting in England. It is general information, not legal advice, and it is not a ruling on your tenancy. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules — use the official guidance for the nation you live in. The country notes at the top of this page point to official starting points elsewhere too.
Ask first if you are not sure
Your agreement can be more specific than the usual split. If a job might affect the landlord’s fixtures, write and ask before you start. Do not take on work the law already says is theirs, and never do gas work or notifiable electrical work.
Jobs that are often yours
- Changing a light bulb or a vacuum bag, and replacing a fuse in a plug (not work on the house wiring)
- Clearing a sink you have blocked with food or hair — see Unblock a sink
- Filling small picture-hook holes at the end of the tenancy, if you put them there — see Fill cracks in walls
- Hanging a curtain pole or a small mirror you own, with the right fixings, if the agreement allows it — see Hang a curtain pole and Hang a mirror
- Keeping extract fans clean, and reporting them if they have failed
A dripping tap or a running toilet can sit on the line: if a washer is a simple change and the agreement expects you to do minor maintenance, our plumbing guides may help; if the tap is the landlord’s fixture and you are not sure, report it rather than taking it apart.
What to leave
Leave to the landlord, and to a qualified person: boilers and gas appliances, the electrical installation, the structure and the roof, serious leaks, failed windows and doors that affect security, and damp or mould that keeps coming back. Our who fixes what page has a longer split.
Do not create a bigger problem
Use a detector before you drill, and do not put holes in a tiled wet wall or a fire door. If you break something, tell the landlord rather than hoping it will not be noticed. Keep receipts if you buy a like-for-like consumable, and do not redecorate as a “surprise” mid-tenancy without written permission.
Official guidance
These official and specialist pages are the best place to confirm the rules for your situation. We have used them as the starting point for this article.
- GOV.UK: Private renting — repairs — the usual split of responsibility
- GOV.UK: Your rights and responsibilities — looking after the property
- Shelter England: Landlord and tenant responsibilities — a longer explanation of who does what
FAQ
The agreement says I must decorate every year. Is that allowed?
An agreement cannot usually make you do the landlord’s repairs. Unusual decorating duties can be unfair. Check official guidance or get advice rather than spending money you are not sure you owe.
Can I change a tap or a shower head?
A simple like-for-like shower head is often fine. Changing a mixer or anything on the plumbing is easier to get wrong — ask first, or report it.
I drilled a hole and hit a cable.
Stop, isolate if you can do so safely, and tell the landlord. A qualified electrician should check it. Do not hide it.
DIY guide and shopping list
For small, safe jobs that are yours to do, these beginner guides will walk you through it. Do not use them for gas work, the electrical installation, or a leak that is the landlord’s to fix.
Useful starting points: Unblock a sink, Fill cracks in walls, Reseal a bath, and Hang a curtain pole.
Prices below are typical UK ranges, shown so the page can convert them for your country. Always check the live product page before you buy.
| Item | Why you need it | Typical UK price | Shop link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plunger or sink unblocking tool | Clears a simple blockage you have caused. | Typically £5–£12 | |
| Ready-mixed filler and a filling knife | Fills picture-hook holes and small dents. | Typically £5–£10 | |
| Sandpaper or a sanding block | Smooths dried filler so a touch-up will sit flat. | Typically £4–£8 | |
| Kitchen-and-bathroom silicone | For a failing bead you are allowed to renew, if the agreement says you can. | Typically £6–£12 |
Shop this list:
Would rather not DIY? Find a local tradesperson
If the job is yours but you would rather not do it, a local handyman or plumber can often deal with a small fix. If the job is the landlord’s, report it to them first — they may already have someone they use.
We may earn from shop links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure
General guidance only. Check our disclaimer.