Broadband disputes in rental properties

Broadband access is now regarded as essential by most people. That means landlords who want to maximise occupancy should consider it too. 

While it may seem like one more thing to have to manage for a rental property, it’s an investment of time and money that will pay dividends. 

Give the tenant what they want and they will reward you by staying longer. What landlord doesn’t want that? 

But what about when things don’t go to plan? When broadband turns from a benefit to tenants into a bone of contention or area of conflict? 

This article in collaboration with Broadband Genie, explains everything landlords need to know about broadband. 

We put some common questions around broadband in rented properties and potential issues requiring resolution to Suzy Hershman, Resolution Department Lead at mydeposits.co.uk. 

Broadband in rental properties

Broadband isn’t a legal requirement but most tenants expect it to be in place or at least to be able to get it installed.

Greater digital demands from remote working have made broadband more of a necessity than ever and a savvy landlord will tap into that to increase occupancy.

Most properties suitable for rental will likely have a phone line, Virgin Media cable, or fibre optic connection. Unless the property is remote, it is very unusual to not have broadband already.

Even if it doesn’t, broadband is fairly unintrusive to install.

Is a tenant allowed to authorise broadband work in my house?

No, tenants are not allowed to authorise intrusive work on your property without your permission.

Some broadband installations require holes to be drilled into walls and sockets to be placed on exterior walls. As this work is intrusive and materially impacts the property, the tenant should gain permission, in writing, before it’s carried out.

“No tenant should alter the property in any way without asking for permission, which should not reasonably be withheld. If the work does not impose on the fabric/structure of the property, then the tenant can carry on with putting in broadband. No reasonable landlord would refuse this and should, arguably, appreciate that this may increase prospects for future lettings.”

– Suzy Hershman, Head of Resolution Department Lead, mydeposits

Can I take money from the tenants to fix any damage related to broadband?

Making deductions from a tenant’s deposit for damage to the property related to broadband installation isn’t as clear cut as you might think.

“Yes, if the cables or any of the equipment has caused damage and you don’t want to keep it, you can charge the repair costs. If the damage is unreasonable – for example, in one case we had, the broadband provider had drilled through UPVC window frames, and this was a very valid claim for repairs. However, bear in mind that if a landlord decides to keep broadband because it will help with future lets, then a claim from the deposit may be unsuccessful as it could be seen as an improvement to the property.”

– Suzy Hershman, Head of Dispute Resolution, mydeposits

How can I avoid tenants authorising work without my permission?

It isn’t really possible to avoid tenants making changes to your property unless you live there. The good news is that broadband installation isn’t very intrusive and shouldn’t damage the property in any meaningful way.

At most, you’ll have a wall box on the outside and another on the inside wall of one room. That’s it.

“You can’t avoid tenants carrying out work other than making it really clear at the outset that no work should be carried out without asking for the landlord’s permission. Mid-term property visits will highlight any alterations to a property at an early stage.”

– Suzy Hershman, Head of Dispute Resolution, mydeposits

Should I provide broadband access in my rented property?

Our answer is an emphatic yes! More people live, work and play on the internet than ever before. That requires a reasonably fast broadband connection.

The work environment has changed completely, with more people working from home than ever before. Streaming has also become a way of life, which demands broadband.

Any landlord that wants to maximise occupancy and minimise turnaround needs to give tenants what they want or need, within reason.

Broadband is a reasonable demand and one we think every landlord should provide wherever possible.

That said, you don’t need to provide the actual broadband connection, just the ability to get broadband.

In fact, it’s better not to provide actual broadband service in most cases as each tenant will have different requirements. You can simply allow tenants to arrange their own contract using existing cabling to the property.

If you do provide broadband, make sure the connection is fast enough (better to have more speed than you think is needed, rather than aiming for a minimum) and be flexible if the tenant wants to choose their own provider. It’s best to use a comparison site to find the best broadband deals.

Ideally, make sure there is a phone, fibre, or Virgin Media connection already in, so the tenant does not have to get this set up themselves and have work done to the property.

The more you can do to control the situation, like having the cabling already in place, the less likely tenants will be to do it themselves or authorise work you didn’t know about!

Author – Jamie Kavanagh, Contributor at Broadband Genie

Jamie Kavanagh worked as a network and server engineer for Cable and Wireless for over a decade before deciding he preferred writing for a living.

He is passionate about making technical subjects understandable to all and spends his time writing technical articles, training courses and blog posts.

He has written for PC Gamer, Tom’s Hardware, TechJunkie, Hilton Hotels, DHL, Dyson and others. He lives in Cornwall with his family and runs Coastal Content, a small business content marketing provider.