We rented recently, we paid the council tax, water bill plus gas and electric.
We had a major fall out due to a very dodgy (british) house agent and Irish owner.
After a visit to a solicitor we were in a positiion to stick two fingers up to the owner and agent who quickly backed down.
A very high percentage of lease documents are so poorly drawn up that any decent solicitor can get you out of them as did our solicitor.
The house agent is a rogue one of her websites has already been closed down.