Winter maintenance made easy
Maryanne Bowring 13/10/2020
2228
Winter maintenance made easy
The UK hasn’t had a really cold winter for a few years now but the temperature is certainly dropping and heavier rainfall is forecast for the months ahead. So for landlords, now is the time to make sure your rental properties will keep your tenants warm and dry this winter.
Preventative maintenance makes sense. Why spend unnecessary cash on breakdowns and emergency callouts when by thinking ahead you could avoid any extra cost. So here are some quick wins to help you keep the cold and damp at bay in your rental home this winter.
Clean out the guttering – blocked gutters frequently cause rainwater to find its way in through roofs and around windows and leaks can damage external brickwork too. So make sure gutters are free of leaves and debris. If you use a window cleaning company, for a few extra pounds they will often be happy to clear gutters for you while they are working with ladders at your property.
Check roofs for loose tiles – obviously these are a source of leaks too and can result in considerable internal damage if not attended to. A visual check is normally all that’s needed to spot any problems.
Tackle draughts – now is the time to ensure doors and windows are properly insulated against the cold. If they need replacing, invest in new doors and double or triple-glazed windows. This can be a costly exercise but as of the end of September, landlords can get help with the cost to the tune of up to £5000 from the Government’s newly launched Green Homes Grant. This can be put towards not only upgrading doors and windows but better insulation too.
Get the boiler serviced – Don’t put yourself at the mercy of expensive callouts this winter because your tenants’ boiler has broken down. If it’s going to happen, you can guarantee it will be during the Christmas period when engineers will be charging double. So look online for an affordable service contract that will ensure boilers continue to work efficiently – and always use a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Pay attention to pipes – it is rare these days for pipes to freeze, especially in the South of England, but it could happen if we have a really cold snap so make sure any exposed pipework is properly lagged.
And finally, property problems can be costly so make sure you have the right insurance in place to cover you for unexpected damage to your rental home.
Planetrent Properties
info@planetrent.co.uk
0208 0599 550 (for sales)
Under Offer: This term applies to a property where the landlord is considering an offer but remains on the market. It implies that further offers may still be considered until the landlord formally accepts or declines the current offer.
Let Agreed: This term indicates that a landlord has provisionally agreed to enter into a rental agreement with a prospective tenant, pending additional checks and referencing. It doesn't require the prospective tenant to have paid a holding deposit.
Let: This term signifies an established binding rental agreement between the landlord and tenant.
For both lettings and sales, the guidance addresses additional terms:
New On The Market: This term is used for a property not advertised since its last sale or rental. It should only be used for a brief period.
New Instruction: It applies to a property assigned to an agent for marketing recently, even if it was previously listed with another agent without being sold or rented.
New and Exclusive: This term refers to a property that is either new on the market or a new instruction, exclusively available through a specific agent or portal.
New Method of Sale/Let: This term is used when a property is being marketed for sale or rent using an alternative approach to the original advertisement, such as transitioning to an auction or sealed bid.
Reduced: This term indicates that a property's price has recently been reduced. The reduction should be genuine and comply with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute's guidelines on pricing practices.