With the days growing longer and the weather showing signs of improving, landlords should take the time to carry out some maintenance work on their buy-to-let properties.
If you have put off doing work on your properties over the winter, it’s a good idea to do a thorough check of both the interior and exterior, including garden, to see what needs fixing or sprucing up.
Start outside and see what needs doing to the garden – mow the lawn, if necessary, and assess the state of any outdoor furniture.
Take a close look at the outer walls of your buy-to-let property and make sure there are no blockages in the gutters of drainpipes.
Other things to look out for are cracks in walls and evidence of damp and mould. If any of these are present, think about taking action now, as there is potential it could get worse if left.
Eddie Hooker, chief executive officer of Total Landlord Insurance, said landlords also need to think about the security of their rental properties.
“Maintaining your property is of utmost importance but remember, it’s also that time of year where people start to think about jetting off on holiday and numerous bank holidays mean tenants spend time away from home (your rental property), giving thieves greater opportunity to break in,” he explained.
Total Landlord Insurance advises landlords to make sure all locks on windows and doors are working correctly and, for those with burglar alarms, check they’re functioning and make sure they are used by tenants.
If your current tenants are coming to the end of their tenancy, it could be a good idea to spend a bit of money improving your property so you can increase your rental asking price when it comes to looking for new tenants.
Simple tasks such as repainting walls and doors can drastically improve the appearance of a property, without breaking the bank.
Remember, the cost of certain maintenance, repair and redecoration work can be offset against your rental income when it comes to paying tax.
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