Re: Letting a flat with sophisticated home automation ...

["Juan Amador" <juane@xxxxxxx>]

Well this is what we have settled on following negotations with=20
Landlord, Tenant, Lawyers and us.  Btw, I forgot to mention that=20
rent is over 25K pa and thus outside the various Housing Acts.

Basically, the group was right that it is landlord responsibility to=20
maintain the equipment in "working order" - but we agreed that
it=20
will be up to the Tenant to purchase in his own right any additional=20
and optional services.
There are also clauses/wording that avoid the difficult-tenant-
syndrome (ie. tenant not knowing what he/she really wants).

The Tenant has been offered (at his expense) to contract with a=20
NIS/NACOSS security firm for the maintenance of the alarm system and=20
(if desired) its connection to a remote monitoring station.  There=20
are insurance and liability issues if this is done by the Landlord,=20
regardless what the Tenant may require. Also, the tenant has been=20
offered an all-inclusive maintenance contract (from us) for things=20
such as changing light scenes, adding music sources, adding mp3=20
tracks to the server and connecting his own equipment to the=20
LAN/wireless. We have given a choice of quaterly fee or rate-per-
hour. Alternatively, he can do it himself.

This is the wording in the agreement:

"(4)	The Landlord undertakes to repair using all reasonable=20
efforts and to a level of performance substantially similar to the=20
one available at the beginning of the Tenancy the following=20
appliances: <list of appliances -e.g. coocker, etc.>

The Landlord has agreed to leave, ex-gratia, additional electronic=20
equipment as set out in Part B of the attached Schedule and such=20
equipment is left entirely at Tenants responsibility.
<this refers to stand alone equipment: CD player, DTV tuner, DAB=20
tuner, etc. which the Tenant requested>

(5) 	The Landlord undertakes to repair using all reasonable=20
efforts and to a level of performance substantially similar to the=20
one available at the beginning of the Tenancy the following=20
integrated electronic systems:
=95	Video entry system;
=95	Lighting system;
=95	Multi-room sound system.

For the avoidance of doubt such repair, does not include changes and=20
upgrades such as upgrading the quality of the image of the video=20
entry system, the changing of the lighting configuration, the=20
replacement of light bulbs, or changing the position or type of the=20
built-in speakers.

The landlord does not warrant  (i) the operation of the alarm=20
system, which requires a service contract with a qualified Security=20
Company,  (ii) the good reception at all times of TV and radio which=20
depends on factors outside his control and,  (iii) the optimal=20
performance of the telephone and local area network, which depends=20
on the service provider and the type and mode of the Tenants own=20
networking equipment."


J Amador
Wizard Control