Essential Winter Maintenance for Landlords - What You Need To Check

Chillier mornings are upon us already, and for many, the heating has been turned on again for the first time since last winter. If you’re a landlord, it’s important to stay one step ahead and make sure your rental property is prepared for the colder weather to avoid emergencies such as broken boilers and burst pipes. It’s good to have a winter checklist to ensure everything is working properly before the cold weather sets in. 

Keep on top of maintenance to minimise property repairs

Carrying out regular upgrades and repairs such as installing new boilers and double-glazed windows, lagging exposed pipes, and fitting radiator thermostats ensures your buy-to-let property meets the required standard and emergency call-outs are kept to a minimum.

At Clan Gordon, we set our standards high and insist all our properties exceed the basic Repairing Standard so landlords can be confident that their property is well maintained and tenants have peace of mind. We offer a full service to landlords, making sure safety certificates are up to date, and we use only reputable local tradespeople to undertake maintenance and repairs. 

Winter Checks For Your Property 

Carrying out thorough winter checks saves time and money and keeps tenants happy, so follow the below tick list to make sure you’ve got everything covered:

Check the exterior of the house for any maintenance issues such as cracks where damp can get in, broken roof tiles or blocked gutters. Preventative work can save pounds and stop more serious issues developing

Check for draughts around windows and doors. Replace window seals where necessary and add draught-proofing to ill-fitting doors – consider replacing in future

Make sure the boiler has been serviced and is working properly. The Annual Landlord Gas Safety Record check should also be up to date for all appliances. Do a test if radiators haven’t been used since last winter and make sure thermostats are functioning 

Check pipes and tanks are properly lagged to prevent freezing – and don’t forget the loft. Ask tenants to ensure they keep the heating on low if they leave the property unattended to prevent burst pipes

Check the stopcock isn’t seized in case the water needs to be turned off in an emergency. Make sure the tenants know where it is located – water leaks can quickly cause a great deal of damage

Check the property is adequately ventilated, especially in areas such as the kitchen and bathroom where condensation can build up and cause damage. Make sure extractor fans are working properly and vents aren’t blocked

Make sure your tenants know how your heating system works

It’s also worth ensuring tenants know how everything works properly – the boiler, the room and radiator thermostats, underfloor heating or heated towel rails. Spending a bit of extra time now could save a lot of time later.

Clan Gordon has been taking the hassle out of letting for Edinburgh landlords for almost 15 years by providing a complete property management service giving everyone total peace of mind. If you’re looking to invest in property in Edinburgh, we provide an end to end service from purchase through to tenant finding and property management beyond. To find out why 100% of our landlords trust us with their property management, schedule a call here.