One of the biggest worries landlords have is whether or not their property will be looked after if they rent it out. We put multiple procedures in place to ensure it’s taken care of... we take deposits, do inspections and vet tenants thoroughly. 

However, you need to keep in mind that there’s always going to be wear and tear on your property and repairs will need to be made from time to time. 

What standard do I need to fix my property up to before moving a tenant in?

It’s important to make sure that your property is a lettable standard. At the point of moving a tenant in, there must be a basic functional kitchen and the property must be clean and safe. 

There are legal requirements you should be aware of too, every property must have an in date gas safety certificate and a 10 year battery operated smoke alarm on every floor as standard. We also recommend an electrical safety certificate, even though it’s not a legal requirement.

When our works team refurbish properties, we decorate them in a way that will appeal to tenants whilst minimising wear and tear. For example we’d install grey carpets over a lighter shade so marks are less likely to appear. 

The fashion used to be to decorate properties with magnolia walls and brown shades but now we use grey and white to appeal more to tenants. This desirable look helps to minimise void periods. We also recommend modern blinds vs traditional net curtains. 

Tip: glossed woodwork really brightens a property up - first impressions count and you’d be surprised what a difference those finishing touches can make!

What happens with ongoing repairs?

You’ll find that with any rental property, there’s a level of upkeep that needs to be maintained... it might be a garden tidy up after summer, a roof leak, or touching up some paintwork.

We recommend setting aside around 10% of your rental income to accomodate for ongoing maintenance (although this wouldn’t cover if a big project needed to be done like a new kitchen or bathroom).

Our growing in house works team have a wealth of experience fixing up all the different aspects of a property so you’re in good hands. We have a system called FixFlo that tenants can use to report a repair and track the status of the job. 90% of the jobs that are reported through our system, we’re able to handle completely for the landlord.

Some landlords may wish to carry out the works themselves, however we do have a duty of care to the tenant to ensure that works are carried out safely and in good time. 

You’re not required to act on every repair request from a tenant, especially if it’s cosmetic - that’s completely up to the discretion of the landlord. However, if the repair is to do with hot water, heating or the security of the property then you’re required to take immediate action. 

We take an inventory at the start of the tenancy which reflects the standard of the property that the tenant has taken on which helps to minimise disputes between the landlord and tenant of the condition of the property. Tenants are expected to leave the property as they took it with marginal wear and tear taken into account. 

Want to find out more about property maintenance and repairs? Get in touch with our team today on 01482 562562 and we’ll answer any questions you may have.