Partners and Suppliers Jack Vlasto 01/06/2024

Does your property need improving to meet current standards?

Keeping your rental property in good condition can be important for many reasons. Your tenants are more likely to be satisfied with their home, which could mean they stay for longer.

Properly maintaining your property can also help you to comply with any relevant legislations. It can even save you money in the long term by helping to avoid issues escalating into more expensive problems.

In the event that something does go wrong, it can help to have suitable landlord insurance in place to help cover the costs.

But before this eventuality, some proactive investments in your property can help to reduce the chance of accidents or damages, as well as helping you stay compliant.

What standards do landlords need to meet in the private rented sector?

There are various legislations that apply to landlords and the standards of housing in the private sector.

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 states that landlords are required to ’keep in repair’ certain aspects of the dwelling. For example:

The structure and exterior, including drains, gutters, and external pipes
Installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity
Installations for sanitation, including basins, sinks, baths
Installations for space heating and heating water

Similarly, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires private landlords to ensure their properties are fit for human habitation at the beginning of and throughout the tenancy.

Other legislations to take note of include:

The HHSRS sets out 29 hazards, including damp and mould growth, excessive cold or heat, carbon monoxide, crowding, fall hazards, electrical hazards, structural collapse, water supply and domestic hygiene. Any of the hazards defined in this legislation can be assessed as either Category 1 or Category 2, depending on the level of risk posed.

What improvements might landlords have to make to their properties?

In the NRLA’s 2022 Tenant Survey*, 48% of tenants who had difficulties in their search for a property stated this was due to the quality or value of the available options at their price point.

The English Housing Survey 2022 to 2023 reported that 21% of private rented dwellings failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard in 2022, with 12% having a Category 1 HHSRS hazard. While these figures are gradually decreasing, the private rented sector still has a higher proportion of non-decent homes and Category 1 hazards compared to owner-occupied and social housing.

Source: English Housing Survey 2022 to 2023 Headline Report - Chapter 4: Dwelling condition

So, improvements are still required in the private rented sector to ensure decent homes are provided for all tenants. Let’s look at some of the upgrades that are commonly required by landlords to meet current standards.

Dealing with damp and mould

The English Housing Survey reports that 9% of private rented dwellings had a problem with damp in 2022, up from 7% in 2019. Prolonged exposure to damp and mould can be harmful to tenants’ health, so it’s an issue that landlords should take seriously.

Any mould should be thoroughly removed, and then the root cause of the damp and mould should be addressed to prevent the issue from persisting. The source of moisture may be from a leaking pipe or damaged roof, for example, which should be repaired.

In other cases, damp and mould may simply be caused by condensation, in which case you should ensure that the property is suitably ventilated and that the tenant takes measures, such as opening bathroom windows after showering.

Poor insulation

A poorly insulated property could also contribute to damp and mould problems, as well as to dangers of excessive cold or heat in the property, which are also listed under the HHSRS hazards. Cavity wall insulation and roof/loft insulation are common improvements landlords can make to their properties.

As well as improving your tenants’ comfort levels and reducing certain health risks, installing insulation can also help to save money in the long term by reducing the property’s energy bills. According to the Energy Saving Trust, for a semi-detached house, adding 270mm of loft insulation would cost an average of £930 but could save you £225 a year on energy bills.

Replacing or repairing appliances

Regular inspections and maintenance of appliances like the fridge/freezer, oven, washing machine, and boiler can help to reduce costs by increasing their lifespan. But it can also be important to know when to replace them to avoid dealing with breakdowns and potential damage to the property. For example, a faulty washing machine could leak and cause water damage, which can be costly to repair.

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme advises on when landlords should replace certain appliances, including every 9-15 years for ovens. The longevity of appliances can also depend on their quality, with the following recommendations for washing machines:

Low quality - 2-5 years
Medium quality - 6-8 years
High quality - 9-12 years

So, investing in a higher quality appliance could also help you save money in the long run.

Plumbing maintenance

Repairing and replacing a property’s plumbing can be an extremely costly upgrade for landlords, so regularly checking and maintaining the plumbing can be important. If your tenants report any issues with the plumbing, they should be checked out promptly and thoroughly. Carrying out a thorough inspection and performing any necessary work in between tenancies can also help to keep your plumbing in good condition throughout each tenancy.

Painting and decorating

While repainting may not be as urgent of an improvement, doing it regularly helps to keep your property looking good, which can make it more likely to attract new tenants and keep current tenants happy. The Tenancy Deposit Scheme suggests decorating every 3-5 years, but some light painting in between each tenancy, if shorter than this period, can help to keep the property looking fresh.

Wear and tear

When was the last time you checked the overall condition of the walls and floors? Your property might benefit from a fresh coat of paint to cover any scuffs from tenants moving in and out. You might find carpets are looking threadbare in some rooms.

Costs for fixing wear and tear are not typically covered by landlord insurance policies, so be aware of this when budgeting for repairs. It’s important to check your policy wording to see what cover is included.

What are the costs of not improving your rental property?

It may feel like you are saving money by not making certain improvements and upgrades to your property, but in the long term, these cut corners can end up being costlier than the initial improvements would have been.

For example, if water damage occurs due to a burst pipe or faulty appliance, both of which could occur due to poor maintenance, the average cost of fixing the water damage can be anywhere from £500-£5,000, depending on the severity and what parts of the property are damaged.

There can also be legal consequences to not suitably improving your property to meet current standards. In the ‘Housing conditions in the private rented sector (England) report from the House of Commons it states:

“Where a landlord fails to let or maintain a property that is fit for human habitation, the tenant may take legal action for breach of contract on the grounds that the property is unfit for human habitation. The court can make the landlord carry out repairs or address the health and safety problems and can order compensation to be paid to the tenant.”

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