Unless you’ve been living on the moon recently, you’ll be very aware that, as a country, we are verging on an economic catastrophe which is going to affect us all in some way or another.
As a landlord what steps can you take to help your tenant and, in the long run, protect your tenancy and your property without putting your hand in your pocket?
- Make sure the tenant understands how the heating works – Many tenants, whether on gas, electric or another form of heating, won’t take the time to read the instruction manual you probably left for them. With the rising costs of fuel, make sure they know how to get the best economy from the heating system they have. Explain the room thermostats, timers, immersion etc but particularly if they have storage heaters, make sure they know how to use them. The last thing you want is for them to turn off or reduce the heating to a level that becomes damaging to your property.
- Remind them to ventilate the pr
- operty – As we head into autumn and winter and the fuel costs start to bite they might be reluctant to open windows and let the cold in. Remind them how important it is to ventilate the property, especially when drying clothes indoors. Many will choose to stop using the tumble dryer and instead set up a clothes horse in the lounge or bedroom.
- Make sure they’re using the fan in the bathroom and kitchen – again with rising fuel costs, they could be looking to turn off everything they think is unnecessary and the fan could be one of those things. Explain to them why the fan is required and the damage that could be caused by damp if the fan is turned off.
- Explain the different settings on the cooker or oven and make sure they’re using the most economical settings, same with washing machines and tumble driers. They may be using the same setting every time and there could be a more economical use of the appliance. Don’t assume they read the manual.
- If it’s a single tenant, check that the single person discount has been applied to their Council Tax bill. This little bit extra could make all the difference to them.
These steps will cost you nothing but if you do have a little in reserve:
- If the heating system is old and possibly inefficient, consider replacing even one radiator. Likewise with appliances. If they are dated and inefficient they will no longer be economical.
- Are there any gaps in skirtings or under doors that could do with a simple remedy?
- Consider if the carpets are at the end of their lifespan. Could better carpets and new underlay be a useful investment? Don’t forget to factor in the cost of a wee skim off the bottom of the door which may be required with new carpets.
- Even thicker, heavier, fully-lined or floor-length curtains could make all the difference.
Finally, in the event you need to make a claim on the tenants deposit, being able to provide evidence that you took some or all of the above steps could make a difference to the outcome of the case, especially if the claim is for damp and/or mould. But more importantly, by giving a bit of support to your tenant, you could prolong the tenancy and protect the fabric of your property at the same time and that’s surely what all landlords want.