Buy to let landlords should beware of cold

21st November, 2005

UK landlords are being advised to start preparing their properties for the anticipated cold spell, to save enormous repair bills.

The Met Office has predicted that this winter will be one of the coldest ever, leading Hiscox to warn landlords to start taking precautions now.

Freezing temperatures coupled with snow, wind, and rain can spell problems for property investors if they don't take the time to carry out a pre-winter inspection.

Acting in advance means that complaints from tenants are avoided and so are the large costs involved with frozen pipes or broken boilers.

Home insurance is an essential purchase for landlords, to ensure that if things do go wrong they will not be landed with enormous bills.

Head of direct business at Hiscox, Kevin Kerridge, said: 'Just taking a couple of hours to survey your property to identify those jobs which need maintenance work can potentially save a lot of time, money and distress in the long run.'

Before winter really sets in, Hiscox advises checking the roof of the property for loose tiles, fixing cracked or broken windows, keeping the heating on low to prevent pipes from freezing and giving the property's boiler a thorough check.

Of course, landlords should also make sure their properties have home insurance cover as well.

 

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