Malta Residential Maintenance Obligations

Maintenance responsibilities in Malta are primarily governed by the Civil Code, supplemented by the specific terms of the registered lease.

Landlord Obligations

The landlord is legally responsible for keeping the property in a state fit for its intended use. This includes:

• Structural Repairs: Repairs to the roof, external walls, and foundations.
• Extraordinary Repairs: Major plumbing leaks, electrical system failures, or replacing large appliances provided with the unit.
• Common Areas: Maintenance of stairs, lifts, and common hallways in apartment blocks.

Tenant Obligations

The tenant is responsible for "ordinary" maintenance and repairs resulting from daily use, including:

• Replacing light bulbs and fuses.
• Unblocking internal drains and sinks.
• Maintaining the cleanliness of the property.
• Repairing damage caused by the tenant or their guests.

Urgent Repairs

If a structural repair is urgently needed and the landlord fails to act, the tenant may perform the repair and seek reimbursement or deduct the cost from future rent, provided they have notified the landlord and followed legal protocols.

Urgent Repairs and Tenant Rights

Under Maltese law, if the landlord fails to carry out urgent structural repairs without which the property becomes uninhabitable, the tenant may seek authorization from the Rent Regulation Board to execute the repairs themselves. The costs incurred can then be lawfully deducted from future rent payments according to the Civil Code (Cap. 16). However, the tenant must formally notify the landlord in writing and allow a reasonable grace period before initiating any independent action against the property.

How Landager Helps

Landager allows you to log maintenance requests and track repair history, providing a clear record of your compliance with maintenance obligations.