Common landlord mistakes #6 Not carrying out proper periodic checks

Periodic checks are an essential part of a property management schedule, and yet in our experience, too many self-managing landlords still either don’t do them properly or don’t bother to do them at all! Once tenants are in situ and the rent is dropping into the bank each month, some landlords are quite happy to pretty much leave their tenants to it, only visiting the property or speaking to the tenants if there’s a problem.

But there are six very good reasons why you – or your agent - should make periodic checks on your property and your tenants:

1. It’s likely to be a condition of your insurance

The first thing to be aware of is that many insurance companies now require landlords to carry out regular inspection visits as a condition of their landlord policy. So if you’re not making any periodic checks and need to make a claim at some point, you could find your insurance is invalid.

2. You need to know who’s living in the property

Sometimes tenants move other people into the property quite innocently – maybe they want to live with their partner or they’re letting a friend stay temporarily – but if they don’t let you know, it could cause trouble for you:

Firstly, it’s your responsibility to carry out right-to-rent checks on every occupant. If anyone is found to be living there illegally, you’ll be fined, regardless of whether you knew they were there.

Secondly, if there are now more people living in the property, that could bring it under the scope of Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) licensing. If it’s already an HMO, your tenants may be breaching an occupation limit.

And thirdly, everyone living in the property should have signed the tenancy agreement.

Three key things we look out for:

1. Are there any extra beds or bedding lying around?
2. If there are sheds or other outbuildings, look for signs that someone might be staying in there
3. Check the name and address on any mail lying around to see if it matches with the tenants named on the rental agreement

3. You can see how well the tenants are looking after their home

You’re legally required to give your tenants at least 24 hours’ written notice of a visit, so, even if they’re normally a bit messy, they should have had the opportunity to tidy up before you arrived. That said, you can’t control how tidy your tenants are or how often they clean, so be prepared that the presentation of the property might not be quite up to your own standards.

The main things we look for are:

• Is there any damage? It may have been an accident, but if it looks as though the tenants are mistreating your property, you should address it either then and there or afterwards, in writing.
• Is there surface mould? This is common in rented properties and a sign that the tenants probably aren’t ventilating properly. Have a chat with them about wiping away condensation and opening windows, and if needed, arrange to have a contractor get rid of the mould.
• If there are any signs of fire risks, such as smoking or having candles too close to furnishings, advise them on how to keep themselves safe.

If there are any other housekeeping problems, a simple chat may be helpful – you could even offer to buy them some cleaning and stain removal products.

4. You can identify maintenance or repair issues that haven’t been reported

Tenants sometimes don’t report small maintenance issues until they’ve become a serious and much more expensive problem to fix. So we check for things like dripping taps, minor leaks, wobbly table legs, loose cupboard doors, etc., and arrange for repairs. As well as complying with your responsibilities as a landlord, your tenants should appreciate you (or your agent) taking care of their home.

5. It’s an opportunity to test fire alarms

Although it’s the tenant’s responsibility to test smoke detectors/alarms during the tenancy, you’re responsible for repairing or replacing any defective units and it’s well worth going over and above the minimum legal requirements when it comes to fire safety. So, check that all the smoke alarms are working properly and record the test in your inspection notes.

6. It can help you build a good relationship with your tenants

We take checks as an opportunity to chat with your tenants about how their work’s going, things that are happening locally, any big news stories, etc. If they see that you’re approachable and you can build an easy relationship with them, they’ll be more likely to speak to you if there’s a problem.

Tenants often have little questions that they don’t think it’s worth bothering you with, so take the initiative and ask them if there’s anything they need, or anything else you can do that would make it a better home for them. It's also a good idea to catch up on their future plans – sometimes you only find out a tenant’s planning to leave through asking them on a periodic visit!

How often should I carry out periodic checks?

Periodic checks should be made two or three times in the first year and every 6-12 months after that. You should also check the external structure of the property after any bad storms or heavy snowfall, make sure it’s still sound and watertight.

We make sure you check every room and all around the outside - ideally, you should have a written checklist that you can complete and file in case there are any issues down the line.

Remember that you need to arrange the visit at a time that suits the tenants and give them at least 24 hours written notice. Although they’re legally within their rights to refuse you entry, that would be a big red flag that something is wrong and possibly there’s some illegal activity. So, if you’ve tried to arrange your visit several times and your tenants are either evasive or ignore your communications, you might need to take legal steps to gain entry.

One of the benefits of having a professional managing agent look after your property is that they will have a periodic check schedule and know exactly what to look for on an inspection. Because of their experience, they’re generally very good at spotting potential issues early, where many landlords might miss them.

As part of Your Move's Fully Managed service for landlords, routine property checks are made on your behalf.

If you have any questions about periodic inspections or you’d like to find out about our Fully Managed service, just contact your local Your Move branch and speak to one of the team.