‘AUTUMN LEAVES’ SHOULD ENCOURAGE LANDLORDS TO THINK OF MAINTENANCE

‘The falling leaves drift by the window, the autumn leaves of red and gold’.  In the romantic song, the autumn leaves represent wistful longing, but for landlords they are more likely to mean blocked guttering and damp problems in the walls.  Which is why the season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’ is also the perfect time to get those maintenance jobs done.

The latest Tenancy Deposit Scheme’s property maintenance poll shows that the vast majority of landlords regard themselves as responsible for the structure of their property, but only 14% believe they should be held responsible for clearing guttering and ensuring external pipes and drains are free from debris.

In fact, the extent to which tenants are responsible for maintenance of such things is determined by what is written in the tenancy agreement, but in general, landlords have a duty of care to ensure the property is kept to a certain standards.

Unless explicitly outlined in the tenancy agreement (and only then if it is held to be reasonable), landlords are responsible for drainage and the supply of water; the structure and exterior of the property; drains, gutters and external pipes; basins, sinks, baths and toilets; gas appliances; electrical wiring; heating and hot water; smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; and damp and mould (depending on the cause).

Autumn is a good time to work through a property maintenance checklist, both to ensure you as a landlord are complying with your legal obligations, and also to ensure your property does not unnecessarily deteriorate. 

Indoors, this includes things such as servicing the boiler, checking the central heating system, bleeding the radiators (and make sure you have given your tenants a bleed key so they can do this themselves through the winter), checking for mould and draughts, and making sure insulation levels are adequate.

Outdoors, tasks include insulating outdoor pipes and drains, cleaning out gutters and drainpipes, checking gardens for things like uneven paving, giving the roof a once-over, and checking that window and door glass is secure.

Spending time on property maintenance will save you money in the long run, as well as providing a happy living environment for your tenants, minimising the risk of costly repairs, and preserving the value of your property.  What’s more, doing all of this will reduce the chance of a deposit dispute, which is costly and time-consuming.

‘Soon I’ll hear old winter’s song’ go the lyrics to ‘Autumn Leaves’.  But at least as the cold weather looms, those landlords who have carried out their autumn maintenance plan can rest easy knowing that their tenants are warm, and their property is in good shape. 

Catherine Hunt is an associate in the Lettings department at Arnolds Keys.  www.arnoldskeys.com