by Rajiv Singh, 23-08-2022

Tenants Who Work From Home: What to Expect and Landlord Must Know

There are more and more people working from home, and this trend is only going to continue. If you are a landlord, it's important to be aware of your tenants' rights when it comes to working from home. In most cases, landlords do not have a problem with tenants who work from home as long as they follow the rules. If you're a tenant who works from home, you may be wondering what your landlord should know about it. You may also be wondering what to expect in terms of things like noise levels and other types of disturbances. In this post, we'll cover both of those topics and more. Keep reading to get the details!

What are the Rights of Tenants working from home?

Tenants have the right to quiet enjoyment of their rental house, which includes the right to work from home without interference from their landlord.

Renters should make sure that they are not breaking any rules by working from home. For example, some rent agreements may prohibit commercial activity in the rental property. If you are unsure whether or not you are allowed to work from home, you should check your rental agreement or ask your landlord for clarification.

Do Tenants need to take permission from the landlord to work from home?

In most cases, tenants will need to get permission from their landlord before they can start working from home. This is because landlords usually have rules about commercial activity in residential units. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if the tenant is only working from home occasionally or for a short period of time, they may not need to get permission from their landlord.

What are the activities considered generic in nature while Work from

There are few action items you should expect from your landlord and it is equally important that your landlord should know exactly what you are doing at home as a business activity. For starters, it's important to make sure both you and your landlord are on the same page about what working from home entails.

Some people might consider working from home to just mean taking a few work calls or responding to emails while in their robes and slippers, while others might consider it requiring them to be in the same room as their workspace. Whatever definition you and your landlord agree on, be sure to communicate this so there are no surprises down the road.

Additionally, there are some logistics landlords should keep in mind when tenants work from home.

For example, if tenants have clients coming over for meetings, landlords might want to take appropriate building insurance and tenants shall also need to be responsible for content insurance . By communicating with each other and understanding each other's needs, tenants and landlords can have a smooth experience when one of them starts working from home.

Work environment of a Tenant

Tenants who are working from home should also be aware of the potential noise and other nuisances that they may be causing. For example, tenants should make sure that they are not making too much noise during business hours. Tenants should also be considerate of their neighbours and not allow their work to interfere with their neighbours' peace and quiet.

If you're a landlord, it's important to know the law when it comes to tenants who work from home

As a landlord, you should be aware of the law when it comes to tenants who work from home. In most cases, there is no issue with this – but there are a few things you need to be aware of.

The first thing to be aware of is that you cannot unreasonably refuse a tenant permission to work from home. If the tenant has a legitimate reason for wanting to do this, then you cannot refuse them without good reason.

There are also certain restrictions on what a tenant can do while working from home. It is best to refer to the Landlord insurance policy or Management terms (if apartment). Usually there are standard terms that the tenants cannot use the property for commercial purposes, and they must not cause any nuisance or disturbance to their neighbours.

If you have any concerns about a tenant working from home, or if you think they are violating any of the terms of their tenancy agreement, you should speak to them about it. If they are not complying with the agreement, you may be able to take action against them.

Pros and Cons for both landlords and tenants when it comes to tenants working from home:

For Landlords:

1. Increased security – when tenants are working from home, it means that there is always someone in the property at all times, which can help to deter crime.

2. Increased wear and tear – with someone actually living in the property and working, there is a high chance of damage or wear and tear taking place.

3. Opportunity to Increase rent – as the tenant is occupying the property full-time, landlords may be able to increase the rent amount if the use of the house is extended for commercial use such as; visits of customers, exhibitions or displays etc.

For Tenants:

1. Increased flexibility and freedom – with no need to commute, tenants can have more flexibility in terms of their hours and working from home can be a great way to achieve a better work-life balance.

2. Increased productivity – many people find that they are more productive when they work from home, as they have fewer distractions.

3. Reduced stress levels – working from home often means less stress, as there is no need to battle through traffic or crowds in order to get to work.

Conclusion for Landlords: what they must know and follow an action plan?

  1. Make sure you have a good understanding of your tenant's work situation before signing any Rent agreement and
  2. You have appropriate Building and Content insurance coverage.
  3. Communicate with your tenant if there are any concerns or problems that arise.
  4. Encourage your tenant to get involved in their community and make friends with their neighbours

Conclusion for Tenants: what are the key takeaway while working from home

  1. If a tenant is working from home, they need to decide whether public liability insurance is needed for a separate office space in the house.
  2. Have the content damage insurance coverage in place.
  3. Check whether sufficient space is available. If it requires major alteration, then proper communication with the Landlord is needed.
  4. They may need more storage for their work-related items. Tenants should be ordering and paying for their own furniture for work if needed unless agreed otherwise with the Landlord.
  5. Tenants should check broadband coverage, likely requiring high-speed internet access and plenty of bandwidth.
  6. Landlords should provide them with a list of approved home businesses written on a rental agreement in case they want to start their own.
  7. Renters may need to adjust their hours so that they are not too disruptive to other tenants in the building if it is shared or living in an apartment with multiple units or flats.

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About Rajiv Singh

A Chartered Accountant in UK with 15+ years of experience in FinTech Consulting, Accounting & International Taxation. I enjoy being a Social, Foodie and Father of two young children, reachable at linktr.ee/RajivSingh.

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