Staying out for the summer - how to protect your property
Summer has arrived - at long last - and with it the holiday season. With many landlords, and tenants, taking a break in August we look at steps you can take to make sure your rental properties are safe and tenancies run smoothly while you are away.
Keeping homes safe and secure.
Top of the agenda is security.
Tenancy agreements vary on whether the tenant should notify the landlord if they are going on holiday, so it is important there is clarity for all about the tenant's responsibility for the tenant if they are leaving the property vacant to go on holiday.
Most burglaries take place when a property is vacant, so you could advise tenants to:
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Set timers on internal lights and radios
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Ask a neighbour or friend to pick up any post/free newspapers to make sure the letter box is not clogged up
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Make sure someone is on hand to put the bins out and collect them
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If the property has a drive, it is also a great idea to have someone leave their car there, to give the impression someone is home
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Try to make sure the garden looks well cared for before you leave and ask a friend if they can water any plants and avoid having them look dried out
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Keep valued possessions out of reach and hide any spare keys.
Extended break
If your tenant is taking an extended break, be sure to call your insurance company. Quite often, it is your duty as landlord to let them know if the property is going to be vacant for an extended period of time.
Some insurers will offer cover for up to 60 days in these circumstance but it does not hurt to let them know the exact length of time the home will be unoccupied.
You could also consider carrying out checks of the property if the tenant is away, although it is important to remember the tenant would have to give their permission for this.
Wider issues
After you have reminded your tenant about the security of the property and making sure it looks like it has not been vacated, it is also a good idea to remind them about their social media footprint.
Every summer the newspapers are full of headlines about families who have posted holiday countdowns and snaps of cocktails on the beach only to find this has alerted criminals to their empty home.
What do I need to do if I am going away?
Landlords need a break as well, but if you are planning a holiday it is important to consider who your tenants will contact in the event of an emergency, for example a leak or should they get locked out.
For landlords with managing agents, this may not be an issue, but if you are a self-managing landlords you may want to advise tenants of a time of day or number for them to reach you on, or ask them to temporarily correspond with a friend or associate of yours who you trust.
You should agree in advance with this trusted party what you are asking them to do in terms of management so that everyone knows where they stand.
