A Landlord Checklist for Summer Maintenance
A stitch in time saves nine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. What other phrases did your granny use? But she was right: preventing a problem from happening is better than sorting it out.
Even careful decent tenants might not be keeping a close eye on some things. Indeed, things on the outside of the property are often not their concern but your responsibility. Be proactive and use the last of the summer to make sure your property is in good shape.
Here are some ideas we’ve had for things to check out: what are your tips?
The Boiler and Heating System
We know it’s still the summer, but it won’t be long until the heating will be switched back on and that’s often when it fails. Repairing a broken boiler on the fly can be expensive, so make a date with your tenant and check out that it’s running well. Bleed the radiators, switch the system on and heat it up, check the pressure and just make sure it’s all ticketyboo. Part of maintaining the boiler might be helping your tenants understand how the boiler works. For instance, if the pressure in a boiler drops too low, it doesn’t work efficiently. Show them how they can keep it operating at full tilt.
Gutters
With recent downpours, your gutters will have taken hammering. But a sunny day will be a good time to confirm that they’re not blocked or bowed. The snow last winter might be to blame for bowing: the extra weight of settled snow might have bent the plastic. Gutters are important. Overflowing gutters can send water flowing down exterior walls where it can seep into the fabric of the building and start causing damp. Blocked gutters are easily cleared. Bowed gutters can usually be repaired with additional brackets.
Drains
Ensure outside drains aren’t blocked, although you may want to wait until autumn leaves have fallen to do this. And check that the bathroom sink, bath and kitchen sink are draining freely. A bottle of industrial strength unblocking liquid is much cheaper than getting a bloke in with massive rods in at a later date.
