Thankfully, Cheltenham doesn’t get too cold over the winter, with an average low of 4C in December and January. It does rain quite a bit, however, with 11 or 12 days of the winter months seeing some precipitation, so it pays to make sure your rental property is ready for the colder seasons. Here’s how.
Check your heating
Your boilers and radiators should have at least one annual check so whether it’s your second or your first of the year, book a professional check and service. It’s almost written into UK law that if you don’t get your boiler serviced, it’ll fail the day before a nasty cold snap.
Look for draughty gaps and seal them
Gaps in windows and doors let warm air out and this makes your tenants feel cold and also increases their energy bills. Do a quick inspection of window frames and doors and if you see (or feel) any draughts use a sealant or an excluder to block them up.
Inspect your gutters and drains
Take a look at your gutters and drains to make sure there’s no leaves or debris blocking them. Blocked gutters lead to water penetrating your brickwork, which can cause a lot of damage. Blocked drains are unsanitary and can also lead to water coming into the brickwork.
Hire someone to inspect your roof
You can conduct a visual inspection yourself, but to be absolutely sure there’s no cracked tiles or other hard-to-spot damage, get someone in to have a closer look and make any repairs.
Even a small crack in a tile can lead to water leaking into your loft or into your top floor ceiling so do any repairs while the weather’s not too wet.
Examine and protect your pipes
It’s unlikely that your Cheltenham property will suffer from frozen pipes over winter, but there may be other damage or stress that’s causing cracks. Cracked pipes are very bad news as they can lead to a lot of damage to your interiors.
It’s also important to make sure any exposed pipes are insulated to prevent the house losing heat and to help your tenants reduce their heating costs.
Carrying out annual checks like this not only helps to prevent problems, it also fosters a better relationship with your tenants as they’ll feel that you care about them and their home.
