Private residential tenancy model agreement: easy read notes

17. Reasonable Care

The tenant must take reasonable care of the property and of any common areas that the tenant is allowed to use.

"Reasonable care" is the sort of care that a reasonable occupier would take to keep the property in good condition, to keep safety systems in working order and to limit the risk of any harm being done to other properties or to neighbours.

Such "reasonable care" under the Agreement includes, for example, the tenant taking all reasonable steps to:

• keep the property adequately ventilated (aired out) and heated;
• not bring any hazardous (dangerous) or combustible (easily catch fire) goods or material into the property. The tenant can keep petrol and gas for garden appliances (mowers etc.), barbecues or other commonly used household goods or appliances in the property (or garden shed) provided that these things are safely stored in appropriate containers;
• not put any oil, grease or other harmful or corrosive substance into any toilet, sink, bath, shower, washing machine, dishwasher or drain;
• prevent water pipes freezing in cold weather - by not removing any lagging and by keeping the property appropriately heated;
• avoid danger to the property or neighbouring properties by way of fire or flooding - for example, not leaving lit candles unattended or overloading electricity sockets with too many plugs or leaving taps running;
• keep the property and its fitted items clean;
• not to do anything to stop the smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, heat detectors or the fire alarm system from working as they should; and
• not to remove or prevent the working of or do anything else to door closer mechanisms.