Your property in London may have an excellent location with strong tenant demand. You may have also successfully marketed your property and found a suitable tenant who’ll move in and pay the rent. You think that you can now relax as you watch the money come in, but is your job really over after you find a tenant?
Your job as a property owner doesn’t end by the time your property has a new tenant, or when you’ve successfully advertised it. You still have a task left: maintaining your London property. Maintaining your property may seem tedious, but it’s necessary if you don’t want its value to fall.
The best way to retain your property’s value is by taking care of it. That means you must schedule repairs and maintenance checks regularly. Some owners may prefer to hire maintenance service providers or property managers to do the job on their behalf. If you’re planning to handle things on your own, here are a few tips below on how to maintain your property in London.
1. Conduct an Energy Assessment
Property owners who are planning to rent out or offer flats for sale in Luton are required to secure an energy assessment. You’re required by law to issue an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) to your tenants or potential buyers. An EPC shows the property’s energy rating. It also serves as a guide for tenants if they want to make the property more energy-efficient.
2. Ensure a Comfortable Living Place
It’s your legal responsibility to ensure that your tenants are living in a comfortable environment. Show them that they’re getting what they paid for. Taking good care of your property includes ensuring your property’s interiors and exteriors are clean and habitable, and hot water and heating installations are working efficiently.
Make sure that your property’s baths, sinks, and drainage systems are functional. You can easily find a local decorator, electrician, or plumber to help you with these tasks.
3. Schedule Repairs Quickly
Another major responsibility that property owners shouldn’t neglect is scheduling repairs and maintenance checks regularly. When your tenant calls about certain repairs, you must be quick to respond and get the issue fixed as soon as possible. This is one way to keep your tenant satisfied and more likely to stay in your property for as long as they can. You’ll also save yourself from the costs of looking for a new tenant.
If you can’t do the repairs yourself, you can outsource to a local handyman. Make sure to keep their contact details on hand so you can easily call on them again in the future.
4. Gas Safety Inspection
Make sure that your gas safety inspections must be up-to-date. A registered gas safe engineer can conduct this gas check once every year. Moreover, don’t forget to keep a record for each gas safety check.
5. Electrical Safety
Provide electrical safety certificates for each electrical equipment that your property has. These certificates let your tenants know that your property’s existing appliances are functional and safe to use.
6. Ask Tenant’s Feedback
To obtain a better picture of the condition of your property, get your tenant’s feedback. Are there any devices that are not working properly? You can also ask your tenant to check your property’s smoke detector regularly and encourage him to report any malfunction as soon as possible. The sooner these issues are fixed, the better.
7. Fire safety regulation
Local ordinances prohibit any furnishings or furniture inside your property that don’t comply with fire safety regulations. It’s your responsibility as a property owner to regularly check the condition of your property’s furniture. You can schedule this around the same time that you do your maintenance checks to minimize disruptions on your tenant’s life.
8. Pre-check-out inspection
When your tenant decides to vacate your property, you must perform a pre-check-out inspection as soon as your tenant hands out their notice. If there are any repairs or renovations needed, you have enough time to hire people who can fix them for you before you place your property in the market.
Key Takeaway
Keeping your property in top shape for many years to come is not a walk in the park. The list above will help you keep an eye out and ensure that your property remains functional and valuable.
