The winter is here and with the freezing temperatures, wet days and dark nights, comes a string of potential issues for properties, including burst pipes, damaged chimneys and faulty boilers. If you own a rental property, it’s not too late to help keep your tenants happy and protect your property by taking the following maintenance steps.
Service the boiler
Don’t let your boiler let you and your tenants down when it’s freezing outside by having it serviced. A boiler service can ensure this vital feature of the home is operating efficiently and help prevent unnecessary fuel wastage, keeping energy bills low.
Seal drafts around windows and doors
Help keep your tenants warm this winter by checking the seals on doors and windows and sealing places that may be leaking cold air into the house.
Clean the gutters
Gutters that are clogged with leaves and other debris from the autumn can create problems, such as leaks on the roof due to the water from rain or melting snow not be able to drain properly. Now’s the time to clean gutters of debris to ensure they work as they are intended to all winter long.
Advise tenants to keep the heating ticking over
When the heating is switched off, the property could become so cold that it could cause pipes to potentially freeze and subsequently burst. It is therefore advisable the heating isn’t turned off completely during the height of the winter, even if the occupants of the house go away.
Keeping the heating ticking over, at approximately four to eight degrees lower than the thermometer is normally set at, will help keep the pipes sufficiently warm to stop them freezing and potentially bursting.
Put insulation in place
Even the best of heating systems will struggle to perform well if a property is poorly insulated. It is now a legal requirement of landlords that their rental property has an energy performance rating of at least E.
Check your property thoroughly to ensure it has sufficient loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and other measures to secure a sound energy performance rating.
If you require any help with the maintenance of your rental property Stirling Ackroyd offer a full range of property maintenance and refurbishment services to landlords. Get in touch with our friendly team of property experts today for quality and comprehensive rental property maintenance.
