As a landlord, it is your responsibility to make sure that your properties and tenants are winter ready. Keeping on top of essential maintenance is vital and keeps tenants happy.
Prepare
- Communicate – Talk to your tenants. Ask if there are any issues that they are concerned by. Make sure that all emergency contacts are up to date.
- Set up and emergency plan – A ring binder in for every binder full of emergency telephone numbers, helpful advice, where the stopcock/fusebox/gas and electricity meters are. All useful to a tenant in an emergency.
- Clearing gutters – Autumn leaves can cause havoc to gutters, drains and roofs. Making sure that these are cleared in advance of any bad weather will cause fewer issues. It will also save you getting up a ladder when it’s cold and a tenant has water overrunning from the roof.
- Roof – Make sure there are not loose slates, tiles or flashing.
- Boilers – Probably the most common issue that landlords have to deal with. Make sure there is a service plan in place. Advise the tenant who to call if they have any issues.
- Pipes and radiators – Don’t forget about pips and radiators to make sure they are in working order.
- Ventilation – Make sure that rooms and communal areas are well ventilated to avoid damp. Ensure extractor fans are working and encourage your tenants to ventilate their property correctly.
- Alarms – Make sure that burglar, smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarms are in working order.
- Insurance – Make sure that your current policy is up-to-date and that you’re covered for winter-related claims. Need insurance or liability? Click Here
Tips in an emergency
- Make sure tenants know what to do in an emergency (refer them to emergency plan).
- Keep the tenant up to date with any progress of repairs.
- Check on vulnerable tenants.