A Guide to Property Maintenance Services for LandlordsNew Title

Life can be tricky for a landlord.

With tenants coming and going, and your property in the hands of someone other than yourself, there’s no sure-fire way to stop issues from appearing.

Luckily, there are landlord maintenance services available, such as the one at Snowik.

This means a landlord can rest assured that their property is regularly maintained and cared for.

But just what does this service entail? Let’s take a look.

What Kinds of Landlords Need Property Maintenance?

Not every landlord is the same.

You may be a:

·        Corporate landlord – This is when a company owns a selection of properties, often in the same building (in some cases the building has been constructed by the company for the sole purpose of renting).

·        Investment Landlords – whether operating a portfolio of managed or non-managed rental units, this is a common type of landlord.

·        Second Home Landlord – If someone is lucky enough to own a second home or is moving abroad but wants to keep some income coming in, they may rent out their property, which makes them a landlord.

What Maintenance are Landlords Required to Carry Out?

For nearly all landlords, a tenancy agreement will be signed when your tenant moves into the property. This is an important document as it specifies exactly what maintenance you promise to carry out.

Here are some of the things often found on this list.

Structural Repairs

Things happen to a home that are unavoidable.

Things such as cracks in walls, broken roof tiles, and damage to door frames aren’t regular occurrences, but when they do happen, they need fixing quickly before the problem gets worse.

Things like this should be checked a minimum of once a year but will probably be noticed quickly by the tenant.

Electrical Wiring

If your tenant is sat at home and all of a sudden everything goes dark, then it looks like something has gone wrong with your electrics.

Faulty electrics are not just a major inconvenience to a tenant but can also be dangerous and hold a heavy risk of fire, so they need to be checked and maintained regularly.

Heating

Especially in the colder months, a lack of heating and hot water can be dangerous.

The ability to get warm is a necessity in rented accommodation and therefore this needs to be regularly checked.

An annual boiler inspection and service should be included in the tenancy agreement as well as reactive maintenance if something does go wrong.

Checking Your Gas

Many things run on gas, from boilers to kitchen hobs, and keeping these things working is vital, so a yearly check of your gas appliances is a great way to ensure they are in good health.

Again, if something does go wrong, such as a leak, this can be really dangerous, so make sure you have a team that can come and check it quickly if you can smell gas.

Fittings and Appliances

Now this will depend on your tenancy agreement and may not contain all of your fittings but some that should be included are bathroom appliances such as toilets, sinks, and baths, as well as some kitchen appliances such as an oven and a sink.

If your landlord supplies other things such as a fridge or a washing machine, they may also be included, so make sure to check your agreement and be in the know about what your landlord has to fix in the case of something going wrong.

When Should Property Maintenance for Landlords be Carried Out?

So, now you know the kind of things you should be covering as a landlord, when is the best time to carry out the repairs?

Well, there are several different reasons for repairs, and these can affect the timeline.

·        Reactive Property Maintenance – this is when something goes wrong and needs fixing quickly. Reactive maintenance is used for things that need fixing in the next 24 hours and require a lightning-quick response.

·        Planned works – You may be planning to perform a fix to the roof, or you may have a day planned when you are going to check all of the appliances. This can be planned in advance and the tenant can be made aware of the works so that they are prepared.

·        Void work – A great time to carry out maintenance is when a property is empty. If you have a few months of free space, you can perform some major jobs that would cause quite a disruption otherwise. If you’re looking for a renovation, then this is the perfect time.

·        Between tenants – This is a critical time, as any issues that appeared in the last tenancy need to be fixed before the new one comes in. This may only be a matter of a week, so you need to get things done quickly and, more importantly, correctly.

Landlord Maintenance Services from Snowik

Snowik provide a property maintenance service for landlords that is quick and always concise.

We operate with a team of trained professionals that vary in many different roles, including heating and gas engineers, handymen, electricians, roofers, plumbers and more.

We regularly undertake full property renovations that cover all of the areas needed to care for a rental property. From bathrooms and kitchens to gardens and bedrooms, we can make sure everything is in good health and is all signed off by professional tradesmen.

We also offer reactive maintenance in London, meaning if you use us, we will be out in a flash to fix any issue that may arise. If your boiler has broken down, your washing machine is leaking, or your drains are blocked, just give us a call and there will be one of our team on the way to fix it as soon as possible.

When it comes to property maintenance, prevention is the best cure, and that’s why we also offer a regular maintenance service, in which we will perform checks of all your appliance on a set timeframe. This is often done annually, and we will provide all information and fixes that are needed to make sure your appliances are healthy and will last for a long time.

What Certification can we Provide?

We also provide professional certification, including:

·        Gas safety certificates

·        PAT tests

·        NICEIC certificates

·        Water testing

And there are many more so get in touch today to see what we can do for you.

The Benefits of Regular Maintenance for Landlords

If you’re a landlord and you’re looking for a property maintenance team in London, then Snowik is the one for you.

We are listed in the  UK Business Directory and our maintenance service has plenty of benefits, including:

Peace of Mind

When something goes wrong in a home you rent out, it can be costly and stressful to get it fixed. With a landlord property maintenance team, you can feel assured that all appliances and structures are regularly checked and also know that if something does go wrong, you have a reactive maintenance team ready to jump into action.

Better Relationships with Tenants

It can cause tension when something breaks down in a tenant’s property and it takes a long time to fix. If they are without hot water or electricity for example, if you leave this too long it may cause them to leave, and you may be breaking your tenancy agreement. Regular maintenance and quick fixes are vital to maintaining a strong relationship and creating long-lasting relationships.

Keep Your Home Healthy

Everyone wants to own a healthy property, whether you’re living in it or not. A clean, safe, and secure property is not just sure to save you money long term (as it is being well kept and looked after), but it is also appealing to potential new tenants and may help raise the value of the property if you decide to sell it. A healthy home is a happy home, so keep yours in good check and you’re sure to reap the rewards.

Snowik: Property Maintenance in London

If you’re a landlord based in London, Surrey, Middlesex, or any surrounding area, and you’re looking for regular property maintenance, then why not get in touch with Snowik today?

We’re a one-stop-shop for your maintenance needs and will be out in a flash if anything does go wrong.

No matter your problem, we have a professional who will know how to fix it and can do it in a hurry.

Don’t leave things to chance and speak to us today about how we can protect your home.