Start by Checking the forecast. This will help you stay alert and prepared for any changes that might occur during the winter season. Not only do our homes get cold but winter storms at times can create a high risk of property damage and even carbon monoxide poising. It’s vital to ensure your detectors are all in working order and your maintenance is as it should. As a landlord it is your legal requirement to do so and failure to meet this can cost you £5000 in fines for each non-working alarm. So stay alert and be on the lookout and check the winter weather forecast updates, especially the winter storm warnings, which are issued 12 to 24 hours before the predicted high-risk weather condition occur. A little time can save you a lot of hassle and money
Clear out your gutters
Orange glowing autumn leaves may look nice and harmless at first glance, but they can prove to be a very costly nuisance for landlords if left to pile up. In particular, they can collect in gutters and drains, causing problematic blockages. So it’s worthwhile clearing them out as regularly as you can to avoid any overflows and resulting water damage. Get onto it now and nip it in the bud.
Bleed your radiators
It may seem simple, but one reason a property may be cold is because the radiators don’t work properly. This is often because they need to be ‘bled’. You may be well aware of this but are your tenants?
British Gas has a helpful YouTube video on how to bleed radiators:
Windows and doors
Water damage is one of the biggest problems for landlords during adverse weather conditions, so check that your windows and doors are water tight.Water tanks can freeze too, so if there’s one in the loft, the loft should be properly insulated to prevent this from happening. The tank can crack and split when it freezes, causing eventual leaks and a huge expense.
Turn off the supply to outside water pipes
We all know pipes can freeze in the winter, but it’s easy to forget about them – and before you know it, there’s a cold snap and you’re dealing with an expensive repair bill for split pipes….not to mention finding someone to do it in good time as finding maintenance people at the moment is harder than ever as there is such a demand. At Belvoir we have a list of qualified maintenance people to help you.
If your property’s going to be empty for a while, you can reduce the risk of this happening by turning off the stop valve inside the property and opening the tap on the outside of the property. It’s also worth asking your tenants to do so if they are going away for periods over the festive period…no one wants to return to a flood or burst pipe!
Get a boiler service
It’s good practice to get your boiler serviced once a year. This should highlight any issues that may have gone undetected when the heating hasn’t been needed during the warmer months. Also, as everyone begins to switch on their central heating as the weather gets colder, the surge in gas consumption can lead to boilers breaking down.Belvoir can help you with this as we have our own fully registered team to help out when you need them.
Make sure your roof is in good repair
Winter is also a good time to check the roof of your rental property, looking out for broken tiles, issues with pointing and rendering, and cracks in the chimney, if you have one.If you spot anything wrong you’ll need to get it fixed, as otherwise water may come in during heavy rains, or weak spots in the roof could buckle under heavy snow. You may need a roofer to help you identify and fix issues. Again Belvoir can assist you with this so just get in touch
Check out your insurance policy
You may not be covered for all the things you expect. A standard landlord insurance policy may not actually cover things like maintenance callouts, so if you have not already now is an ideal time review your policy to add covers like landlord home emergency or landlord boiler breakdown.
It’s also a good idea to make sure your property’s in good to avoid any issues in the colder months. If you check everything’s in order before we hit the first cold snap, it’ll give you – and your tenants – peace of mind throughout the winter months. If you need any advice on this do not hesitate to give us a call.
Take extra care when properties are empty
A rental property without is never nice but a lot more can go wrong when a property is left unattended in the winter months. Policy conditions around void periods can vary depending on your insurer, so make sure you understand your obligations, otherwise you may discover too late that you’re not fully covered. Contact your insurer if you’re not sure. It’s good practice to visit as regularly as possible to ensure it’s kept in good order anyway. This includes opening the windows to air the property, as well as checking the boiler and possible leaks or pipe issues. If your rental property’s near your home, this might be quite easy to do, but can be time consuming If it’s not, you may want to consider going fully managed to enable us to do this for you. We have have the time and expertise.
So yes the winter months can bring problems for properties but the better prepared you are the less likely you are to have to deal with such difficulties. Moreover, let us remove these worries and help you, that’s what we do best. Just get in touch and we will make you, your tenants and your properties happier this winter.
If you do not have your property fully managed by us…… now is the time to consider it and let us take the winter property worries away from you.
