Maintenance made easy: a step-by-step guide (part three)
If maintenance concerns aren’t resolved when detected small issues can become big problems.
“If these issues aren’t repaired within a short amount of time, they can cause substantial damage to the property and, in the case of the damp, can cause your tenant health problems too,” warns Adam Rastall of Belvoir Liverpool West Derby.
Inspect your rental property regularly and stop the acceleration of maintenance matters before they start.
“The key is to spot problems early and deal with them before they become bigger issues,” concludes Chris Radford of Belvoir Brighton and Hove. “We do our inspections every quarter and produce written reports for our landlords.
“Small problems left unresolved will undoubtedly get worse, costing you more money, taking contractor’s more time and leading to more disruption for your tenant in order to rectify them.”
Maintenance monitoring checklist
- Water leaks
- Structural movement in the property
- Damp
- Mould
- Cracked or discoloured electrical sockets
- Damage to moving items, such as toilet handles and doorknobs
- Condensation
- Peeling paintwork
- Wall cracks
- Crumbling brickwork
- Leaking taps
- Blocked drains
- Heating/hot water problems
- Loose roof tiles
- Deteriorating pointing
- Stains to ceilings
- Blocked guttering
- Pest or insect infestations
- Water damage
- Broken fencing
- Erosion of shower and bath seals
- Deterioration of window and door seals
- Cracks in the exterior brickwork or rendering
- Cracked chimney stacks
- Malfunctioning appliances, such as washing machines, fridges, cookers, and showers etc.
For more information, please contact your local office.
