Winter Bites…Cold weather tips for Landlords
After a deceptively mild Christmas and New Year, you could have been forgiven for thinking that we were going to escape any really cold weather this winter. However, this week sees winter weather return with a vengeance, with snow and ice doing their worst across much of the country.
Sub-zero temperatures are uncommon enough that as a nation, we often fail to deal with them. But it’s not just council gritters and railway companies that need to know how to get through a cold spell: landlords and tenants need to know their stuff too. Here are our top tips for landlords who want to make sure their properties (and tenants!) come through the bad weather unscathed.
Avoiding Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes can burst and cause a breakdown of the heating system, especially in older properties with exposed pipes. They are one of the most common causes of claims on landlord insurance in the colder months and can cause serious water damage, on top of the cost of repairing the heating system itself.
Tenants should do their bit by making sure the heating is turned on regularly, keeping warm water flowing through and preventing freezing. If tenants are going to be away, ask them to set the heating to come on a timer for an hour or two each day. This is part of the tenants’ general duty of care towards the property and should be part of their contract. However, this is a good example of why it is always worth maintaining a good relationship with your tenants – if you don’t, you may find them uncooperative when you ask them to keep the heating on. Landlords need to do their bit by making sure pipes are well-insulated and in good repair. Cracked, exposed pipes are naturally more likely to burst!
Keeping Tenants Warm
While burst pipes are the main cause of property damage during cold weather, it is important to make sure your tenants are undamaged too. Make sure that the heating is working properly, not just to keep the pipes from bursting, but as part of your duty of care to your tenants. With many on tight budgets, you may find that some are reluctant to use the heating, even in the coldest weather. It is in both yours and their interests to make sure they do. See if you can offer them a contribution to winter heating costs, to be paid back with rent in the summer months.
It is also important to make sure that you keep up with maintenance, especially in older properties. Simple steps like replacing sealant around doors and windows to keep out draughts can make a big difference. If your tenants are struggling to keep warm, look at what you can do in the longer term to change that. Government grants as part of the new Green Deal for example, could help you insulate your property better and help keep it winter-proof into the future.