Belvoir Corby are advising landlords to check their insurance policies and take any necessary precautions, after a bout of burst pipes last year left many landlords without adequate cover.
As temperatures hit -17 degrees in parts of the UK last year, many landlords were faced with policies which were considered void after they ignored a clause about lagging pipes on the rental properties under their care.
Katie Fairburn, Manager at Belvoir Corby, who offer a wide range of property to rent in Corby, said: “The cold weather experienced last year was a wake-up call to many landlords, who had previously thought that isurance policies covered the event of a burst pipe. Landlords should check the property insurance policies as soon as possible, to see if the requirements set out in the small print are being met.”
“Many landlords are unaware that under most insurance policies, that pipes which are exposed to cold – particularly those outside or in the roof to prevent freezing need to be properly lagged. If a property is left unattended for more than 30 days the insurance company should be advised and the boiler and water systems should be drained down and the water supply shut off.”
Landlords who fail to take out adequate cover could be faced with the inconvenience of being called out by the tenant late at night, the expense of having to find and call out a reputable emergency contractor at short notice, plus the possibility of having to find alternative accommodation for tenants if the worst should happen.
Belvoir recommend that all landlords get boilers serviced by a Gas Safe engineer to iron out any potential problems BEFORE the cold weather sets in. A professional letting agent can usually arrange this.
Katie added: Frost damage can be avoided by taking a few simple precautions, these include:
- Make sure your boiler has a frost thermostat, turning the heating on automatically when the temperature reaches freezing.
- Maintain a low level of heat in the property throughout the day and night. Especially if the property is to be left empty for several days.
- Check water tanks in attics, especially where insulation prevents the room heat rising, it may be necessary to remove some insulation.
- Make tenants aware of the location of stop taps and that they are easy to shut-off in case of an emergency.
Belvoir Corby are a leading letting agent in Corby; with details of property to rent including houses, homes, cottages, flats, studio apartments and apartments throughout the Corby area including, Oakley Vale, Great Oakley, Little Oakley, Danesholme estate, Kingswood estate, Benfield estate, Shire Lodge estate, Lincoln estate, Lloyds estate, Little Stanion, Oakley Hay, Weldon, Rockingham, Corby Old Village, Oundle and Ashton.
Contact Belvoir Corby today to find the ideal Corby rental property as a tenat or a landlord.
