January 2024
Extreme weather can sometimes mean bad news for landlords – thankfully there are steps you can take to protect your property.
Remember – regular inspections can be a good way of ensuring the property is in good working order throughout the year, also ask your tenant to inform you if they are going to be away from the property during a period of bad weather.
Take a look at the below things to look out for when you’re weather-proofing your property.
- External walls Seal any gaps in external walls to prevent cold air and water entering the property.
- Garden Remove overhanging or loose branches to help prevent damage in windy weather.
- Guttering Clear your gutters to avoid a build-up of leaves and other debris.
- Internal and external pipes Insulate all external pipes and any internal pipes that are in unheated areas.
- If the property is empty during the winter months, you might want to turn off the stop tap and any outside water taps to avoid water freezing in the pipes.
- Roof Check your roof regularly for any missing slates or tiles and make sure everything is secure.
- Windows and doors Use sealant or draught-excluders on windows and doors.
The main risk to any property in periods of cold weather is water damage due to burst pipes. You can minimise the chances of damage occurring by taking a few key steps.
- Leave the heating on for certain periods during the day.
- Reduce the risk of pipes freezing by ensuring that you have enough gas or oil to heat the property.
- Open any trap doors to ensure warm air can circulate around pipes in the roofspace.
- Keep doors in the property ajar to allow warm air to circulate.
- Keep the cupboard under the sink open.
- Find out where your stopcock is and how to turn it off.
- Ensure the pipes in the property have been lagged. If they have not, you may wish to consider getting this work done to reduce the risk of pipes freezing.