Who's responsible for clearing gutters? Landlords, tenants, flats and shared gutters

Renting a house: landlord or tenant?

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 says the landlord must keep in repair "the structure and exterior of the dwelling-house (including drains, gutters and external pipes)". So a cracked, sagging or leaking gutter is the landlord's to fix.

Clearing them is less clear-cut. A Just Landlords article sets out both sides. Some argue that "keeping a gutter clear of obstruction is not a repair, it's maintenance", so it falls outside section 11. Others point to the old idea that tenants must look after a home "in a tenant-like manner". In the 1954 case Warren v Keen, Lord Denning said a tenant "must do those little jobs about the place which a reasonable tenant would do". One contributor argued that this doesn't "include anything that involves clambering up a ladder to the roof".

The practical answer is the same for both sides: write it into the tenancy agreement.

If you're a tenant

• Check your tenancy agreement for anything about gutters, drains or outside maintenance.
• If a gutter is overflowing, leaking or causing damp, tell your landlord or letting agent in writing, with photos and the date.
• Don't climb up yourself to clear a landlord's gutters. If something goes wrong, it's your neck.
• If damp follows, keep a record. Reporting it in writing puts your landlord on notice.

If you're a landlord

• Decide who clears the gutters and say so in the agreement. Some landlords take it on themselves, because it involves ladders and it protects the structure.
• Book a clear every year, after the leaves are down. A yearly plan means it happens without anyone having to remember.
• Keep the dated before and after photos. They show the property was maintained, which helps with deposit disputes, damp complaints and insurance claims.

Leasehold flats

LEASE, the government-funded advice service for leaseholders, says responsibility "will generally depend on the terms of your lease so check the lease first", but that "the landlord is generally responsible for the exterior, structure and any common parts." Shelter adds that the freeholder usually arranges the repairs, but you might pay some or all of the cost through your service charge.

Some leases do it differently. In one case answered by the law firm Russell-Cooke in The Sunday Times, the owner of an upstairs leasehold flat had always looked after the roof and gutters under the lease. Then the downstairs owners, who held the freehold, built an extension that blocked access to the gutters. The flat owner reported delayed gutter work and black mould in a bedroom. The article opens with the advice that "if you and your neighbour disagree about a problem, it's best to try to resolve things informally."

Terraces, semis and shared gutters

On terraces and semis, gutter runs often continue from one house to the next, and water from one roof can pass through a neighbour's section on its way to a downpipe. A blockage in their gutter can overflow onto your wall.

• Talk to your neighbour first, with a photo of the problem.
• Suggest clearing the whole run at the same time. It's quicker, and on a shared run, clearing just one section may not stop the overflow.
• If a neighbour's gutter can only be reached from your side, or yours from theirs, agree access in writing.

In one DIYnot thread, a homeowner had been maintaining a gutter that belonged to his neighbour's house, because the neighbour couldn't reach it. That kind of arrangement is common, and it works best when it's written down.

If a neighbour won't co-operate

If you need to get onto a neighbour's land to maintain or repair your own house, and they refuse, the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992 lets you apply to the county court for an access order. A guide from the law firm CMS explains that the court can only grant one where the work is reasonably necessary to preserve your property, and can't be done, or would be much harder, without entering their land. It's a last resort. Agreeing access informally is cheaper and far better for the neighbourly relationship. We're roofers, not solicitors, so take legal advice if it gets that far.

How we can help

We clear gutters for homeowners, tenants and landlords, and we're happy to clear a whole terrace run if neighbours book together. Every job comes with dated before and after photos of each run, which you can pass straight on to a landlord, letting agent, managing agent or neighbour.

Written by Hawkes Roofing, roofers based in St Albans who clear gutters by hand across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and north-west London. Last reviewed 26 October 2026.