As a landlord, you will find that you are usually responsible for the majority of the costs relating to property maintenance and repairs. However, there are number of things which you can do in order to help keep these costs to a minimum. If you have bought a property as an investment, then you won’t want to spend more than your tenants are paying you in rent to carry out repair work. With this in mind, here are ten property maintenance tips which can save landlords money.
1. Electrical inspections – It is well worth having a qualified electrician carry out electrical testing at least once every ten years. This will help to make sure that wiring and circuits are safe, and help to prevent any electrical fire hazards. If you are supplying any electrical appliances, then these should be safe when tenants move in to a property.
2. Check detectors – Even after an electrical inspection, you will still want to ensure that the smoke detectors within your property are in good working order. Should a fire occur, this can be key in helping to minimize the damage by raising the alarm as quickly as possible.
3. Gas appliances – Similarly, your property maintenance responsibilities are likely to extend to the gas appliances which you supply as the landlord. A safety check carried out by a registered trades person should be carried out annually to provide you with a gas safety certificate.
4. External foliage – You may not be responsible for general garden upkeep, you may find that you need to prune any plants or branches which grow up or on to your property. Without regular maintenance, such greenery can cause moisture damage and invite unwanted insects into the property.
5. Grouting – Over time, grouting between kitchen and bathroom tiling can crack or decay. This may seem like a small problem, but if ignored it can lead to substantial water damage, which tends to prove costly.
6. Roofs and chimneys – Roofs should be checked for loose tiles and moss, whilst chimneys will need to be professionally cleaned once a year in order to ensure that they are kept clear of bird nests and creosote.
7. Drains – A routine inspect ion of drains and gutters doesn’t take long, but it can help to spot any debris that needs clearing. Failure to carry out this quick check can lead to water damage.
8. Pest control – Even if your property does not suffer from a rodent problem, you will want to look out for signs of damage caused by smaller pests such as ants and termites. It can prove expensive to rid your property of such pests after prolonged infestation.
9. Paint – Paint isn’t purely a cosmetic touch – it can actually help to keep a property free from rot and damp. If you’ve noticed that the paint on your property has started to peel, then don’t put off repainting until damage has occurred.
10. Heating and air-conditioning – If you have a heating or air-condition system installed in your property, then this should also be inspected at least once a year, whilst filters will need to be replaced more frequently. This will help to ensure that such systems are able to run safely, as well as efficiently.
