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There is also a lot of hope and expectations for the quality of a home. If tenants aren’t happy at home, they are not slow in informing their landlord, and this means landlords should be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to caring for their property in winter.

At Addison Giles, we aim to provide landlords with as much support as we can, and therefore, we are offering our top 5 winter care tips for landlords:

  1. Check your windows and doors
  2. Lag pipes
  3. Bleed the radiators
  4. Clean your gutters
  5. Create a plan for dealing with snow, ice or heavy rainfall

Check your windows and doors

Cracks or gaps in your window or door frame can make homes very uncomfortable in winter. Filling or fixing these issues will make a home warmer and more comfortable.

This service makes your tenants happier but given that you can help them heat their home with less energy, you will save the money, and that is always a positive outcome for tenants.

When you have a happy tenant, your role as a landlord becomes easier, so fix any gaps or cracks in your doors or windows.

Lag pipes

If you have external pipes in or around your home, lag them and protect them from the falling temperatures. Burst pipes are not fun to deal with and can be costly and time-consuming to repair or resolve. Maintaining a good temperature of your pipes make for a happier and healthier home in winter.

Bleed the radiators

While many people that bleeding radiators is a task that tenants are responsible for, many landlords like to carry out this job. Doing it yourself lets you feel confident that it has been done, that it has been done correctly and it gives your tenant one less thing to worry about. Bleeding radiators isn’t a challenging task and once it has been completed, your radiators work better, ensuring that homes are heated in a more effective manner.

Clean your gutters

Most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about their gutters but as soon as a problem arises, it becomes a major issue. A blocked drain can cause water to flow into the home, it creates a place where pests can nest, and it is unsightly. Therefore, for peace of mind, particularly in freezing conditions when water could turn into ice, cleaning your gutters is an important task.

Create a plan for dealing with snow, ice or heavy rainfall

A smart idea for landlords to implement for winter is a plan for dealing with snow, ice or heavy rainfall. Many people are caught out by these events, making it harder to get back to normal. By placing scrapers, sandbags, torches, shovels and grit in a rental property, tenants have the essential items they need to protect their home and minimise further risk.

Therefore, a small bit of time and expenditure by the landlord can go a long way to maintaining the condition of the home in trying conditions. This measure will also keep tenants happy, which is always a positive outcome for landlords.

As a bonus tip, if your rental property has a garden area, you need to prune the yard and ensure that there are no issues that will arise in heavy wind. Loose limbs and branches can cause considerable damage and it may not take too much of a gust of wind to cause havoc in your garden area.

It is always best to be proactive and if you have time and want to be confident about the garden area, hire a tree surgeon to examine your trees and ensure that hedges and shrubs are pruned back.

Winter poses a lot of problems but if you are prepared for the common problems, you can minimise your exposure to risk. If you are a savvy landlord looking to provide your tenants with the best service, winterproof your rental property now and reap the benefits for weeks and even months to come.

If you are looking for regular tips and hints on how to be the best landlord you can, make sure you stay in touch with Addison Giles.

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