Winter advice for Landlords
When dark nights draw in and there's a chill in the air, it's easy to think that hibernation is the only answer. If you are a landlord it is time to consider how to protect your buy to let investment against weather damage.
While buy-to-let owners would be wise to have good landlord property insurance cover in place to make sure they are financially protected from the cost of repairing weather-related damage, there are a number of things you can do to minimise the risk of damage occurring in the first place.
If your property has a tenant in situ, you can begin by arranging a convenient time to visit the property, and make checks both internally and externally.
- Pipes and tanks in the loft should be adequately insulated. Overflow pipes should be connected and not blocked (remember that with tenants moving in/out more frequently than home owners, things in the loft have more chance of being bumped or dislodged).
- Outside taps should be fitted with an insulated jacket, turned off at the internal shut off valve, and if possible, drained down. All external pipe work should be lagged.
- Leaves can collect in gutters and drains, leading to blocks and overflows, so it’s best to clean them regularly. Consider investing in gutter leaf guards to help prevent your gutters becoming blocked in future, You should ensure that gutters and downpipes are clear, have no cracks and that all supporting brackets are functioning well. Check the roof to ensure that there are no broken or missing tiles. If you have any flat roofs at the property, check that they are intact. Remember that ice and snow are heavy, so will put lots of weight on roofs, gutters etc.
- It is worth giving the tenant advice regarding steps they should take during periods of cold weather. In fact, this could be stated expressly in the contract, if you so wished. You should ensure that tenants leave the heating on a low setting if they are away during the winter, even if only for a couple of days. If there are areas of the property which are not heated, doors between heated and non-heated areas should be left open to allow warm air to circulate.
- In empty properties, you could consider leaving the loft hatch open to allow warm air to circulate in the loft.
- During last year's particularly cold winter, a significant number of properties were damaged by burst pipes because tenants did not know how to shut off the heating system. Landlords should show tenants where and how to shut off the water to their property, particularly if they are to vacate the property over Christmas, or advise them to set the heating system thermostat to prevent pipes from freezing.
- It may also be advisable to remind them where the consumer unit (fuse box) is, and how to turn the electricity back on.
- In order for your tenants to have a more comfortable home during the cold weather, check that they know how, and when, to bleed a radiator. Ensure that you supply them with a bleed key.
You should check that your landlord insurance covers you fully for damage caused by bad weather, and that your tenants have appropriate contents insurance.
Finally, make sure that your tenants have the contact details for plumbers, electricians etc in case an emergency arises, ensuring that they offer an out of hours service. You may have a managed tenancy, where emergency calls are taken 24/7. If so, make sure your tenants have their contact details.