Timely and regular repair checks can save thousands of pounds
Ed Mead, founder of NRLA partner Viewber, explains more about the rising cost of materials, the importance of addressing repairs promptly, and how the service offered by Viewer can help.
Planning for maintenance is part and parcel of managing rented properties. Planning to revisit a property to redo repairs isn’t. It’s a time and cost inconvenience best avoided – especially against a backdrop of increasing repair costs.
All landlords spending more on maintenance
In the private rented sector, landlord profits are increasingly being squeezed by property maintenance. In fact, analysis by Help Me Fix found that keeping a buy-to-let safely habitable accounts for more than a fifth of a landlord’s rental income, with the amount rising by 4.7% in the first eight months of 2022 alone.
Budgets are just as squeezed in the social housing sector. An article published in Inside Housing in 2021, using data from the Regulator of Social Housing, found registered providers had seen spending on repairs and maintenance increase by 15% in response to the building safety crisis.
This news was followed by the National Housing Federation advising social landlords that repair and maintenance prices soared over 2021 and 2022, with annual price increases peaking at 16.8% in April 2022. With inflation still stubbornly high, costs have not reduced.
Materials are more costly
Increasing expenses can be attributed to the cost of materials used widely in property maintenance, which rose by 4.7% in April 2023, when compared to the same month in 2022. The 4.7% figure followed a price rise of 8.7% in March 2023 to compound the issue, according to Building Materials and Components Statistics. For reference, screws and insulation materials experienced the greatest price increases in the 12 months to April 2023, rising 33.7% and 28.4%, respectively.
The rising price of materials is affecting the costs attached to different trades. For example, the BCIS Building Maintenance Prices data set, released earlier in 2023, found the cost for plumbing works increased around 8.7% between April 2022 and April 2023, with painting and decorating costs rising 6% in the same period.
The quality of repair counts
It's easily established that the cost of keeping properties safe, well maintained and legally compliant is more expensive than ever, so it pays to adhere to the ‘do it once and do it right’ mantra. While the emphasis is, correctly, on getting the repair completed as soon as possible, sometimes the quality of the repair is overlooked – especially if the next emergency call is coming in and attention is diverted elsewhere.
Prompt repair checks are financially prudent
Not checking how well a repair has been executed can become a big false economy. Substandard or incomplete work will quickly come back to haunt landlords. If left undetected, shoddily-repaired problems can worsen and cause a greater inconvenience than the original issue. If a repair check is delayed, any guarantee on the workmanship, parts or appliances will have lapsed and the landlord will face a costly repeat process to complete the renovations a second time around. With labour and material costs at an all-time high – and trade availability scarce – this scenario is best avoided.
If checked as soon as the maintenance work is complete, the matter of an unsatisfactory repair can be taken up with the trade almost immediately, with the cost to rectify the work born by the supplier. Prompt repair checks will also ensure satisfaction levels among tenants is higher and property compliance maintained.
We can conduct repair checks on your behalf
Many property managers will roll their eyes at the thought of yet another property visit to check on the standard of work, so sending a professional to carry out repair checks on their behalf makes sense. Viewber has developed a repair check service, which sees a Viewber visit any nominated property in the UK to make a repair follow-up visit, noting the condition and execution of the repair, and recording the tenant’s comments, if they’re present.
Repairs that a Viewber can inspect
Our post-repair inspection service includes but is not limited to:
- Repairs to the structure and exterior of a property, for example the walls, windows and external doors
- Repairs to basins, sinks, baths, toilets and visible pipework
- Repairs to fence panels and patios
- Cosmetic repairs and redecoration
- Repairs to general fixtures, fittings and kitchen cabinetry
- Basic tests to ensure there is running water, free-running drains and an electricity supply
- Removal of mould, mildew and limescale
Book a live streamed repair check and bespoke report
Property managers who are especially keen to see the nature of a repair can order a live streamed repair inspection. During this service, a Viewber will host a video call from the property with the client able to direct the Viewber to a specific area, request they zoom in and also take still photos. Viewber also offers bespoke reports, and clients can be specific about the nature of the repair check at the time of booking.
A Viewber repair check is a great way to ensure any maintenance work has been completed and to a satisfactory standard. The follow-up report will highlight any areas of concern, which allows property managers and landlords to take prompt action and recall trades without delay. Our coverage is nationwide, and our clients already include private landlords, housing associations, arms-length management organisations (ALMOs) and private property managers. Contact Viewber today to learn more.
