A Guide to Maintenance During Covid-19
Despite the Covid-19 crisis, landlords still have certain responsibilities that need maintaining.
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Keeping your rental property in good working order should be at the top of your list of priorities. Here are some of the ways you can maintain your property during the pandemic.
Roof and guttering
A good place to start with maintaining your property is with the roof and guttering. With the weather in the UK being bad at the best of times, winter weather can cause severe damage to your roof. If your roof is damaged, leaks can occur, which could then lead to damp and mould in your home.
With the UK in another lockdown it is not possible to get people over to check the roof. While tenants should not get onto the roof themselves, they can check around the house and see if there is any damp. They may also be able to see if gutters are full or if there are any missing tiles.
Rot, damp and mould
After a chilly, wet winter, wood rot can be a problem. It’s a good idea to search the property for spots where protective paint should be (re)applied. If this is not done, mould can easily grow and create an unlivable situation for tenants.
It may be a good idea to ask tenants to search the property for any areas at risk and then provide them with the paint (from a distance) to deal with the situation. If tenants complain of mould, a professional must be sent round to deal with it at the earliest possible convenience.
If a tenant complains about cracks in the walls, it is vital that a professional be sent around as soon as possible.
Alarms and heaters
Despite the pandemic, it’s important to make sure that carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms are all working. Once you have ensured that they are, it is the tenants’ responsibility to ensure that they remain that way by carrying out regular tests.
Another thing to check is that the heating system is working. You can call tenants and talk them through this check, while it is not possible to go round to the property yourself.
How should I deal with emergency repairs?
When dealing with an emergency, it is important to assess the risk. This is in order to decide on the best course of action to take while also keeping both landlords and tenants safe.
It’s a good idea to develop a repairs policy, whereby you can easily and quickly assess and decide which problems need your urgent attention and those that do not. As the Government guidelines continue to change, you can update your policy. This way, everyone is kept as safe as possible.
In these unprecedented times, it is important that you are keeping both yourself and your tenants safe. This means that all necessary steps to stop the spread of Covid-19 should be adhered to. It also means that any urgent repairs are dealt with in a timely manner.
