Meet Colin.
Colin lets a property in Clophill.
Colin hasn’t been hot on repairs, leading to unhappy tenants, and potential fines and imprisonment if he doesn’t get his act together.
Don’t be careless like Colin.
Do the fix.
Regulations around repairs protect tenants from unsafe, unhabitable homes, and the responsibility to provide a safe, comfortable property falls on the landlord. If you wouldn’t live at the property with its current problems, you shouldn’t expect a tenant to either.
Don’t delay.
Some repairs require a response sooner than others. If it’s a problem with heating, water or electrics, action within 24-48 hours. The sooner you start, the sooner it’s sorted. Consider parts for an older boiler may take longer to source, and weather-related issues may end up in queue.
Do prioritise.
An elderly person needing a boiler repair should take priority over a family with a broken fence. A dripping tap won’t need looking at as quickly as a leak under the shower. That being said, always triage what the problem is and how long it’s been going on to determine how serious it is.
Do advise.
We have systems to help tenants with smaller or more urgent repairs, including step-by step guides for common issues, as well as out-of-hours video calls for emergencies. Practical advice could be the difference between sorting in minutes, or waiting months.
Do mitigate.
If there are delays, try to mitigate the situation with your tenants. Orchards not only communicates clear timescales, but also offers things such as heaters and blankets when a boiler goes down. If you’re in an area prone to flooding, keep a stock of sandbags, thus avoiding an insurance claim.
Do inspect.
We highly recommend routine inspections (will link to the other blog). Chances of finding a problem early increase, and cost and effort to fix decrease. If multiple problems arise, you can fix in batches rather than piecemeal, saving call-out charges each time.
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Do use a lettings agent like Orchards:
01525 40 22 66
ampthill@orchards.co.uk
