30 November 2023
Are your properties “winter ready”
Late November’s cold snap is a good reminder that landlords should be ensuring their properties are “winter ready,” writes Balfours Lettings Team Manager, Paula Wells MARLA
A good starting point is a boiler service, gas or oil it should happen at least once a year and it will obviously be working its hardest for the next four months. If the service has already been done then tenants should be asked to test radiators for cold spots, which could signal airlocks or debris build-up. The final check is to ensure the property’s boiler condensation pipe is well insulated and of sufficient size. Why? Because when frozen it can trigger boiler malfunctions and shutdown.
This is the time to be sending a reminder that if away, maintaining a low level of heating will ensure against frozen and ultimately burst pipes. We are all painfully aware of energy price increases and for that reason keeping an ambient temperature steady is more economical than having to heat from cold.
The other counter-intuitive tip is to ensure ample ventilation which will prevent condensation and ultimately mould, thereby achieving a healthier living environment.
To cover an emergency property issue, managing agents will be the first call for many tenants. However, those landlords self-managing will have to field their own calls or make arrangements between tenants and tradesman.
