With winter nearly here, it’s more important than ever for
landlords to keep their rental properties in check. Homes that are in good
condition make for happy tenants, which is what every landlord is striving for.
After all, satisfied tenants are more likely to stay for the
long-term, ensuring that those dreaded void periods can be swerved.
Keeping your property in tip-top condition can become more
difficult when winter strikes, though. The temperature drops a few degrees, the
average rainfall increases and the likelihood of adverse weather conditions is
much higher.
Below, using our experience as estate agents working in
Southampton, Portsmouth and across the south of England, we outline some of the
things you can do to keep any issues at bay.
Prevent any clogs
At this time of the year, drains and gutters are much more
susceptible to becoming clogged by leaves or other items. They might also be
weakened by heavy rain, so it’s important to act early to prevent more costly
work having to be carried out at a later date.
Make your home look
fresh
Winter can have an effect on outside paintwork, which could
give off an unsightly battered and bruised look to your rental property.
Tenants want to be house-proud, something that is less likely if the outside of
the place they call home doesn’t look up to scratch.
Also, if you are trying to occupy your home with tenants,
then giving the outside of your home a quick lick of paint could be very
beneficial. Other small things, like trimming
the hedge or making sure the driveway looks ship-shape, could also
help your cause.
Keep damp away
Damp can be a major problem in the colder months. Not only
does it look unsightly, it can also cause longer-term problems that will cost
landlords more over time. Preventative maintenance, to make sure damp doesn’t
become a longer-term issue, would be a wise move.
This can include things like asking your tenants to turn on
the bathroom fan when they have a shower, as well as opening the window for a
while after. You can also ask them to cover boiling liquids in the kitchen and
dry clothes outdoors, weather permitting.
Making sure your walls are properly insulated, increasing
ventilation in your property (not so easy in the colder months, granted, but it
will help to limit moisture from spreading other areas of the house) and
heating your property effectively are other ways of keeping damp at bay.
Stop pipes from
freezing
A cold snap can massively increase the chances of pipes
bursting or freezing. Keeping the heating on, running cold water regularly and
draining outside taps where possible will all help to prevent this nightmare
scenario from occurring. This is particularly important if your property is
unoccupied over the winter months. If you don’t have tenants in place, make
sure you do all you can to prevent frozen or burst pipes. It’s not worth taking
a risk in this case.
If you want more info about keeping your rental property in
check this winter, please get in contact with ChimneyPots
on 01489 584298. Additionally, you can find out how much rent you could be
charging in the current marketplace by checking out our free instant online valuation tool.
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