Routine maintenance of your rented property
Good landlords know the importance of keeping their rented properties well maintained, since not only are tenants entitled by law to have a safe and habitable living environment, it is also in a landlord’s financial interests to ensure the property is kept in good condition. After all, without a rent cheque coming in regularly every month, a let property is worthless, and prospective tenants viewing a neglected property are unlikely to want to rent it. Meanwhile, tenants residing in a property that is suffering from neglect are more likely to treat the property poorly as well, and/or to withhold rental payments.
Furthermore, if a property does not receive routine general maintenance, and if necessary repairs are not tackled immediately, in the long run the work is only going to cost more and take longer when maintenance or repairs are finally undertaken. Plus, the value of a property in disrepair is significantly lowered, decreasing both its investment and rental potential. Additionally, landlords insurance providers expect homeowners to maintain their property to a reasonable standard, and failure to do so could result in claims being denied.
Thus, if you are a landlord, it is crucial you see to it that the property receives the maintenance it requires. The standards differ depending on the property type – for instance, most exterior work on leasehold properties is the responsibility of the management company to whom service charge fees are paid, leaving the landlord responsible for interior maintenance only, whereas freehold property owners are responsible for both interior and exterior maintenance – and it is up to you to ensure the correct standards are met.
It is important to note, however, that before you or anyone else goes to the property to conduct routine inspections or maintenance, tenants residing at the property must be given at least 48 hours advance notice of the visit.
As a landlord, you are required to ensure all gas instillations, electrical wiring, and gas and electrical appliances included with the property are maintained and in safe working order. Familiarise yourself with the gas and electric safety regulations, and in addition to the annual legally required gas safety inspections, it is good practice to have a professional inspect the property’s wiring every four or five years to make sure it is up to code. Since it serves your interests to exercise due diligence in this area, keep a record of all safety checks and routine maintenance, and provide your tenants with copies of any safety check certificates.
Obviously if your tenants inform you of a problem in need of repair, you need to act immediately but preventative maintenance is equally important. Make advance arrangements with your tenants for you or someone acting on your behalf to inspect the property approximately every six months, so potential problems can be found before they escalate. This includes checking drains and gutters and clearing them of debris so flooding does not become an issue, checking for signs of mould or damp, mending any broken or leaking fixtures, and generally inspecting and repairing all aspects of the exterior and interior that could present problems. Do not forget to examine fences and garden walls to ensure they remain in sound condition and, crucially, inspect the roof and any chimneys for signs of damage. Certainly, if the property has a flat roof, it must be inspected at least every two years, since most insurance providers require flat roofs to be checked and repaired routinely. If you make a claim resulting from a damaged roof that you cannot prove was inspected within the previous 24 months, the loss adjuster can contend reasonable maintenance steps were not taken and thus deny the claim.
In addition to preventative and routine maintenance, perform cosmetic maintenance when necessary. Touching up the paint job on interior walls when the property is between tenants is a simple enough task, and reasonably inexpensive if you do it yourself, and may enable you to add an extra thirty or so pounds to the rent you charge the next tenant. The same principal applies to replacing aging fixtures and appliances although, obviously, there is no need to go overboard and, for instance, fit a brand new ?8,000 kitchen that will only increase the property’s value by a few thousand pounds.
By keeping your let property in good condition, ultimately you will prevent unnecessary problems and save time and money, which makes the effort you expend in maintenance well worthwhile.
Ladaniel McNaughton is a professional landlord and home improvement expert who has written prolifically on the subjects. His musing can be seen at Landlords Insurance, and unoccupied property insurance
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