With the Met Office warning that this winter will be colder and wetter than normal, now’s the time for landlords to prioritise boiler maintenance.
After spending the summer doing their utmost to keep cool in scorching temperatures, most tenants will now be turning their attention to staying warm.
As the nights draw in, they’ll soon be reaching for their cosy jumpers and fluffy slippers and switching the heating back on.
If your boiler is relatively new, this may not be a major issue. However, older boilers can be temperamental. (It’s for this reason that heating engineers are often inundated with calls at the start of autumn.)
But rather than waiting to see if any problems occur, it’s best to be proactive.
Landlords need to focus on four aspects of boiler maintenance.
Check pressure and bleed radiators
Many landlords can do this themselves (though you may need to refer to your boiler manual first). Check your boiler’s pressure is within the appropriate range as outlined in the manual. If it’s too low, the boiler will not work as efficiently, meaning that radiators won’t warm up properly.
It’s also important to bleed the radiators to release any trapped air bubbles that could impact heating efficiency. If you’re in any doubt, seek advice from your heating engineer.
Annual gas safety check
Now’s the time to check when your next annual gas safety check is due and, if necessary, arrange for it to be carried out.
By law, landlords must have all gas appliances and flues at their rental property checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Once the check is complete and you receive the gas safety record, you have 28 days to pass a copy to the tenant.
If the next check is not due for some time, put a reminder in your diary so you don’t forget to do it. An engineer can do this check up to two months before your renewal date.
Get your boiler serviced
Boilers play a critical role in keeping your tenants healthy and comfortable in winter.
They’re also expensive to install (replacing one will set you back, on average, £3,000*) and repair, so it’s important to get your boiler serviced every year. An annual service may also be required under your warranty.
Talk to your tenants
Check your tenants understand how to use the boiler controls and timer, and that they have a copy of the instruction manual.
Also, remind them that if they are going away for an extended period during cold weather, the boiler should be set to come on automatically for some time every day. Leaving a boiler switched off for weeks in winter can cause the pipes to freeze.
If you’d like help managing your property and staying on top of your landlord maintenance duties, call us today. We’re here to help.
