WHEN living in rented property, it is important to ascertain from the outset of your tenancy just who is responsible when things go wrong.

The most common faults usually happen during the winter months - frozen pipes, electrical faults, perhaps the central heating is playing up. Even something like a chimney needing to be swept.

These are all problems that have to be addressed and, in some cases, quickly. If, for instance the central heating does not seem to be working efficiently, this could lead to problems with frozen pipes and in extreme cases, even burst pipes. Likewise, an electrical fault if left unattended could be the cause of all kinds of hazards. The cause of many house fires is an electrical fault.

When all is said and done, not all problems occur during office hours - in fact, it's more likely that problems and faults will present themselves during times of greater use such as weekends and bank holidays.

As a tenant, do you know exactly whom you should contact in a case of an emergency breakdown? Has your landlord or managing agent given you written instructions on such matters?

Are you liable for the cost involved if you call out a plumber or electrician to repair a fault? It is sensible to address these questions at the outset.

What does constitute an emergency? "You would be surprised at some of the things tenants class as an emergency or urgent," said Zoe Sexton, of Cluttons letting & management department.

"Quite often we are faced with an emergency call stating that the central heating had broken down, when, in fact, it was simply a case of the tenant not having kept his eye on the oil level and had simply run out.

"We are conscious of the fact that real emergencies will happen; even in the best maintained properties it is possible for something to go wrong. It is for this reason that here at Cluttons we make sure that every tenant is aware of what constitutes a real emergency and what can wait. At the same time we give the tenants an emergency telephone number that can be used for genuine call out needs."

Before reaching for the phone; stop and think is it a real emergency?