A UK Landlord's Guide to the 5 Most Common Tenant Maintenance Requests

As a landlord, you know that 80% of your maintenance calls come from 20% of the problems. Knowing how to (safely) triage these common issues over the phone can save you hundreds of pounds in unnecessary call-out fees.

Here are the top 5 issues tenants call about, and how to handle them.

1. "My Heating/Hot Water Is Off" (Low Boiler Pressure)

• The Problem: The most common cause, especially in autumn. The pressure gauge on the boiler has dropped below 1 bar, and the boiler has locked out for safety.
• The Fix: This often just requires re-pressurising the system using the filling loop.
• Triage Questions: "What is the make and model of your boiler?" / "Is there an error code on the display?" / "What does the pressure gauge (the little dial) show?"
• Risk: Guiding a tenant to use a filling loop can be tricky. It's safe if done correctly, but you must provide clear, simple steps.

2. "My Sockets Aren't Working" (Tripped Switch)

• The Problem: A tenant has plugged in a faulty appliance (like a kettle or toaster) which has tripped a switch in the fuse box (consumer unit).
• The Fix: Identifying the faulty appliance and resetting the switch.
• Triage Questions: "Have you checked the fuse box? It's usually a white box in a cupboard or under the stairs." / "Is one of the switches pointing down? Try pushing it back up." / "If it trips again, unplug all appliances in that room and try again. Then plug them back in one by one to find the culprit."
• Risk: Always add a safety warning: "If the box looks damaged or you smell burning, don't touch it and call me immediately."

3. "The WiFi Is Down"

• The Problem: The router has frozen and needs a simple reboot.
• The Fix: The classic "turn it off and on again."
• Triage Questions: "What colour are the lights on the router?" / "Have you tried unplugging the main power cable, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging it back in?"

4. "My Sink is Blocked"

• The Problem: A simple build-up of food or hair.
• The Fix: Boiling water, a plunger, or a simple drain unblocker.
• Triage Questions: "Is it completely blocked or just slow-draining?" / "Have you tried using a standard sink plunger?"

5. "There's a Mould Patch"

• The Problem: This is more serious. It's either a leak (penetrating damp) or a ventilation issue (condensation).
• The Fix: This requires investigation.
• Triage Questions: "Is the patch wet, or just dark?" / "Is it near a window, or on an external wall?" / "Are you regularly opening windows or using extractor fans after showering?" This almost always requires escalation.

The Lettie SolutionThis triage process is the job. But it's time-consuming. Lettie is pre-programmed to handle all of this. It can ask for boiler error codes, guide a tenant to the fuse box, or suggest rebooting the router—all before you even know there's a problem.

Want your maintenance triage on autopilot? [See Lettie's features.]

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