Tips for landlords in the run up to winter
With the seasons changing and the clocks ‘falling back’ on Sunday, 30 October, now is the time to get your property ready for winter, says Tara Kelly, Head of Lettings at Savills Winchester.
“Taking the steps below before issues happen will help avoid stress for you and your tenants. If your agent is managing your property they may be taking care of many things for you; give them a call to discuss.”
Tara has highlighted some top tips to follow:
Lag all pipe work to reduce the risk of water pipes splitting or freezing
• Don’t forget loft spaces, external cupboards, taps, garages and boiler rooms.
Make your property energy efficient through insulation
• Cavity wall insulation, draft excluders, floor insulation and loft insulation are some examples of how to keep heat in your home.
Make sure your boiler and fireplace are ready for use
• Boilers and fireplaces need regular servicing/sweeping (check your health and safety responsibilities) to make sure they are in good working order, it also reduces the risk of break downs.
Smoke, CO alarms need testing to make sure they are working
• Regular testing of both of these is very important; a landlord must have a working smoke alarm on each habitable floor of the property and a CO alarm in any room with a solid fuel appliance, for instance a working fireplace.
Burglar alarms are the most effective deterrent against burglars
• Make sure your alarm is tested and ready.
After high winds it’s important to assess any damage quickly
• You should check for structural damage, missing tiles, cracked render, damaged/poor pointing, and cracked brickwork and render to make sure you nip any potential issues in the bud.
Keep an eye on the health of the property’s trees and large shrubs to reduce the risk of them causing damage.
• If there are large trees near the property or your neighbours’ properties, make sure you give them a health check, and have them lopped if necessary to reduce the risk of them falling in high winds or storms. For more information, contact Tara Kelly at Savills Winchester on 01962 841842
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