Protect your let property with a thorough inspection

There are many things landlord insurance customers can do to prevent having to make a claim this winter. As the dark nights draw in, its worth putting some time aside to fully inspect your let property to look for any signs that could predict problems over the winter months.

Inside the property look for signs of damp, such as a damp smell or brown stains on walls or ceilings. Condensation is a symptom of damp and a de-humidifier is usually effective at ridding the area of the excess moisture. Leaving damp untreated tends to lead to more condensation, which can lead to damaged paintwork and mould, which is dangerous to tenants.

Checking the smoke alarms is a must, as they prevent many domestic fires each year and also protect tenants. The condition of the insulation in the house also needs to be inspected at this stage to ensure the property will stay warm enough and will be energy efficient for tenants.


Moving to the outside of the property, the roof and guttering need a thorough inspection to spot any signs of loose tiles, slates or piping. These kinds of problems get worse in poor weather and can lead to water damage and damp that, in turn, can result in large let property insurance claims.

Flooding is a major cause of property damage and if your property is located in an area prone to flooding, make sure you provide tenants with sandbags. Instruct them to move furniture and belongings to high surfaces or event better upstairs. If flooding does occur, contact your [url=www.discountlandlord.co.uk]insurer[url] to arrange payment to help cover the cost of re-housing tenants and carrying out repair works.

Flooding does not only occur as a result of weather conditions, internal problems, such as leaky pipes and blocked drains can cause major damage to your property and to other neighbouring properties. It is, therefore, important to check pipes and familiarise yourself and your tenants with the location of your stopcock so the water can be turned off easily if flooding should occur.


Servicing your boiler on an annual basis is important in order to maintain it and avoid having to spend thousands on a new boiler due to problems that could have been identified and fixed.
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