Landlord voice: Are your properties prepared for winter?

Tackle those winter preparation chores before it costs you a fortune and don’t neglect your rental property once your tenants have settled in – landlording is not a let it and forget it game. These are two of the most important lessons I’ve learned during my time as a landlord.

“A stitch in time” is perhaps one of the most powerful, truthful aphorisms in the English language and, along with water being one of the most destructive forces in the world, both are perfectly applicable to the buy to let landlord.

Don’t fix that stiff lock and before you know it the key is broken in the lock and you need to replace not one but lots of door locks, costing you a small fortune, particularly if you have the modern full-security devices. Likewise, the constant drip, drip, drip of a leaking roof, gutter, water pipe or drain pipe can deteriorate a wall or even undermine a property’s foundations, given time. 

The small things matter – a little bit of forward planning, some thought about regular inspections and maintenance – can save you thousands of pounds in the long-run. Winter is hard on property, particularly if it’s a harsh winter with lots of wind, rain and heavy frosts.