How to take care of your rental property

Renting a home is a double-sided coin, it comes with both freedom and responsibilities. Not just the freedom of standing on your own two feet in your own space, but there are also responsibilities like paying bills and looking after your new home. There are some simple things, some obvious and some not so immediately clear, that all tenants should be mindful of in order to keep their home in the best possible condition. In this article we take a look at how to take care of your rental property.

Report issues

This is perhaps one of the most important things that a tenant can do. As soon as an issue arises, no matter how small, report it to the landlord or their agent so they are aware and, if needed, can arrange a repair before it becomes a bigger issue. The problem might be small and causing no serious problems, but it can quickly escalate and become a much bigger issue causing more damage and be harder and more expensive to fix. Please don’t think you are bothering your landlord or agent; they will want to know about any issue and reporting them in a timely manner will ensure that things are dealt with before they become a big problem.

Ventilation

Ventilation is key to preventing condensation building up and condensation is a major contributor to mould and damp. Mould and damp, as we all know, is a serious hazard to health and can cause nasty lung infections. Ensuring that extractor fans are on or windows are open when bathing or cooking, not drying clothes inside and wiping up moisture as soon as it forms will help keep the property free from condensation and mould.

Keeping it clean

Keeping on top of the cleaning will make things a lot easier at the end of the tenancy, make sure you regularly clean the curtains, windows and carpets, if they have been supplied and also keep on top of the kitchen and bathrooms too. Ensure that you clean up any crumbs and food remnants to stop pests being attracted into the property and clean any built up limescale before it becomes a big issue.

Maintaining your home

Stay on top of the gardening and, if it was in good condition and well weeded at the start of the tenancy, it will need to be returned in the same condition. Carry out basic maintenance tasks like turning off the water, especially external taps, if not in use during the winter, bleeding radiators and changing light bulbs. Don’t forget to check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms regularly and change the batteries as needed. Don’t flush things down the toilet that don’t belong there to avoid blocking the drains and also don’t pour oils and fats down the sink as these could block the pipes and drains. If these issues do occur you might find yourself footing the bill to put things right.

Don’t overload electrics

Given the technological advancements over the last decades, we all have so many electrical items in our homes and there are never enough plug sockets are there? As such you will need to use multi-sockets but make sure that you don’t overload them and only use ones with proper surge protection. Which have a great article on how to avoid overloading extension leads to keep your home safe.

Looking after your rental home is in your best interests. It comes down to treating the property and its fixtures and fittings with respect and keeping them clean and in good condition. If anything does get damaged make sure to fix it and, above all, report any issues that are your landlord’s responsibility quickly so they can sort them before they become a larger problem.