The Edinburgh Festival is the biggest arts festival in the world, attracting over a quarter of a million visitors to the capital every year – and they all need somewhere to stay. If you are a landlord with property in the Capital then there are numerous opportunities for letting, whether this is to festival goers, international students or professionals working in the city. However seasonal property maintenance is a must.
Below are some tips for property owners to help them keep on top of their property ensuring expensive problems don’t arise in the future. If you are a landlord then summer is an ideal time to take a check on your property (especially if it may be lying empty for some time if a tenant is on holiday) so that your property is in the best state when the weather starts to take a turn for the worst later in the year.
- Conduct a full periodic inspection – this should be done regularly, not just in between new tenancies, taking note of any issues and discrepancies from the initial inventory report.
- Look out for weather related damage – whether this is storm damage, heavy rain, or even abnormally high temperatures which can impact on walls, roofs and gardens.
- Educate tenants – set expectations of tenant responsibilities relating to the garden or general upkeep of the property. Provide them with an information pack that sets out the basic things they should do in order to prevent damage to the property.
- Maintenance – the majority of the maintenance will be the responsibility of the landlord. Don’t ignore problems as they will only get worse. If a tenant reports a fault, or if you notice one during an inspection, make sure that you fix it immediately.
- Check windows and doors – from rotten wood around the windows to ensuring doors are secure and safe.
- Roof and chimney – ensure leaves are removed from gutters and check for any signs of cracking or leakage and broken roof tiles.
Completing seasonal maintenance on your property is vital for tenant relations and to protect your investment for years to come.