Are you and your tenants ready for winter?
Winter can be an expensive time for Landlords, with lots of maintenance problems potentially being caused by the weather. To save cash it’s important to make sure both you and your tenants are ready for the season ahead.
Last December, weather-related claims on house insurance stacked up to around £900 million, Think Money revealed. Reasons for pay-outs included burst pipes, problems with roofs and gutters and other damage caused by melting snow. To make sure you aren’t left counting the cost this year, it’s important firstly to make sure you have adequate landlord’s insurance in place, so see how yours compares to that of specialists such as http://www.simplelandlordsinsurance.com.
Taking preventative measures such as making sure the heating system is serviced and gutters are cleaned out will go a long way towards avoiding some disasters. The next step is to seek the help of your tenants. If they are planning to go away for a long period over the festive season, ask that they leave the heating on timer so that pipes do not freeze and burst in their absence. Also be aware of any clauses in your insurance that could mean the property is not properly insured if it is vacant for too long, security is also key over the winter months as burglaries can be common with thieves hoping to come across presents being stored in the home. With this in mind, make sure your tenants know how to use any security systems you have in place and set alarms before they vacate the property.