I hope I'm right in assuming they are pretty similar, especially if you go through an agency.

A few months ago, the drains in our apartment blocked, so we called the landlard, who got a plumber and all was sorted. We didn't pay anything and that was the end of that.

However a couple of days, our boiler broke, leaving us without hot water and heating.

When I asked the landlady about this, she said that in Italy it is our responsbility to pay these kind of things (broken boiler, washing machine, gas, television and these kind of damages). I understand the washing machine and television - because we rented an unfurnished apartment.

She also said that when we signed the contract we were given docs relating to the boilet (yes) and explaining we would have to call for them to come out and yearly clean it etc.

Is this usual with tenancies over here? In our rental property in the UK, we pay for the yearly maintenance of the boiler, and the checkes and should ANYTHING go wrong, we are usually responsible for it.

Unfortunately, we relied on my partners boss to explain everything to us in the contract - but he didnt mention this (perhaps because it is normal practise here and he assumes so in the UK).

Pretty much the same question arose in this recent thread.

Thanks Graeme

You can get maintenance contracts on central heating boilers here too. Mine is through Riello and costs about EU150 a year, this includes the annual “bollino blu” check (which is obligatory and separately costs about EU80) so effectively you get a parts and labour cover on a 24 hr call out basis for EU 70 per year. I have used it twice in three years, they fixed the boiler within 12 hours and no arguments about anything.

Chrisb, that's really very useful, thanks for the information - I'll go and see if I can find a website. Thanks again