The Top 5 Thing YOU SHOULD be Doing to Get Your Property Ready for Winter

by | Oct 3, 2016 | Blog

I’m sure you’ve felt it, the cold in the air. Winter is fast approaching and you need to make sure you are ready for it. Trust me you do not want your tenants complaining that the boiler is broken when the world is knee deep in snow and it’s Christmas Eve! 

Here are my Top 5 things you should be doing RIGHT NOW to prepare for winter. If you do them now, there is less room for problems as the year progresses. Prevention is far better then reaction in the property management business!

Top 5 Items YOU SHOULD BE DOING

  1. Inspect your Property – You should be inspecting regularly, but it is even more important now. Go and see (or send a trusted contractor / letting agent in) if there are any leaks and if the boiler is working as a priority.
  2. Clean out your Gutters – Leaves which fall during winter can cause havoc when it rains heavily as they can block your gutters and cause water build up. Get them cleaned and jetted to make sure rain water can flow freely and prevent it from leaking into the building. If you own a leasehold property, ask your block manager to get this sorted.
  3. Test your Boiler – Its really a good idea to move your gas safety testing to this time of year. Your plumber can make sure your boiler is firing and all of your radiators are warming up. Also remind your tenants to make sure the heating is coming on for at least 2 hours a day to prevent the pipes from freezing. If you have electric heating, test the radiators and emersion heaters, you will need an electrician for that.
  4. Check your Windows – Sometimes the seals go, and this can cause a breeze. Check that they are weather tight, and if not ask your handyman to re-seal them.
  5. Inspect the Roof – You don’t want debris falling off in heavy winds, or leaks through missing tiles. Now is the time of year to get up there and check it out and solve any problems right now.

These may seem like routine things, but they are so important. And, if you get it done now, you are sorted for the next 12 months. Diarise it and make sure this becomes routine and your Property Management will be so much easier!

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