British landlords with rental homes have been urged to make checks and inspections of their properties a more regular affair to ensure that damage and other issues are kept to a minimum in the long run.
According to one expert, the fact that the average length of a tenancy is greatly increasing at the moment, with the demand for renting being far higher in recent years than the purchasing sentiment, means that there can be a degree of secrecy from tenants when something goes wrong.
Anthony Garbutt, Manager of Belvoir Thirsk, said that “there are many incidents seen around the country. These include such problems as leaks and floods in homes not being reported, as well as the altogether more serious issue of people sub-letting properties.”
Mr Garbutt said: “The average length of a tenancy has grown from approximately 13 months to nearly 17 months. On the one hand this is great news for both landlords and tenants, offering each a greater level of security, but on the other, landlords run the risk of becoming complacent, assuming all is in working order at their property, and this can be a costly mistake.”
Winter, according to Mr Garbutt, is the key time to up the number of visits conducted. He said that his companies policy of “quarterly inspections is key to remaining ahead of potential issues.”
