As we approach the colder months, it is good practice to look at your property and see if any maintenance issues should be addressed. The winter months bring with them colder temperatures and adverse weather conditions that can damage your property. It is likely that contractors will be at their busiest throughout winter so resolving issues now can save you both time and money.
Annual Gas Safety Certificates
Getting your property’s gas safety check and service early can ensure that the heating system will run efficiently when tenants start to use it. A good time to get this done is around October but be aware that these can get booked up quickly so it’s best to get yours in the diary as soon as possible. Here is a list of official gas engineers.
Exterior Maintenance
Towards the end of autumn, it is worth checking guttering and drains. This is to prevent rainwater pooling and risking flooding or leaks to the property.
Ensure your property is waterproof by checking cracks in the walls, broken guttering and the roof for missing tiles, any of these could potentially cause a whole host of problems if not spotted and fixed early on.
Garden
Although now isn’t the time to be planting anything new in your flowerbeds, a little maintenance to your garden such as raking in leave, giving the grass one last mow or deweeding can help you out when it comes to tending to the garden in the spring.
If you have garden furniture that won’t be able to sustain the wintery weather conditions, make sure you cover these, or better yet place them inside a shed or garage. This will ensure they stay in good condition and you’ll be able to use these for years to come.
Emergency Contacts
Whether it is you who will need to call a plumber or your tenants, having a list of emergency contacts to hand is essential. This way, should the unforeseen occur, your tenants can get in touch with a contractor that you have recommended.
We find that many self-managing landlords don’t want to ‘bother’ tenants once they have moved in, and many landlords won’t visit the property again until tenants have moved out. Tenants may also not communicate issues which is when properties can fall into disrepair and become vulnerable to the elements, especially during colder months.
Having a managing agent can give you peace of mind that this doesn’t happen to you and your property. Our Managed Let service includes:
- Conduct property inspections
- Sort out your annual Gas Safety Certificates
- Arrange installation and PAT test certificates
- Routine property visits
- We have a list of fully insured and qualified maintenance contractors
- Arrange routine repairs and maintenance
- We ensure your property complies with the latest safety regulations
For more information on our lettings offerings, please get in touch with the team on 0117 911 8663.
