The long, hot days of summer are the perfect time to carry out property maintenance tasks to both residential and commercial properties. Now is the time for owners and landlords to undertake the many jobs that are not possible during the wetter and colder months of autumn and winter.
From weatherproofing to renewing window and door seals, painting the interior and exterior walls and woodwork to boiler maintenance, summer is the ideal time to carry out all these projects.
Whether you undertake some or all the maintenance tasks yourself or get the experts in to help, we have put together a few top tips to make the most of your property maintenance over the summer.
General Property Maintenance
There’s probably a long list of things you would like to tackle during the summer, but there’s a few tasks which should be a priority, especially for properties in London:
- Repair or replace any loose roof tiles, broken guttering or cracked render where water can ingress.
- Paint external woodwork and metal work.
- Check for any sign of pests in your property. Check for areas of access and take preventative measures to discourage rodents visiting your property. See our guidance on effective rodent control measures.
- Identify and fix any areas where burglars can gain access to your property and update security measures. See our guidance on what to do in the event of a burglary and how to prevent it for residential and commercial
- Get your boiler and heating system serviced. Not only will you have the comfort of knowing that your boiler is safe, when your heating system is maintained and running to its maximum efficiency, it will save you money.
- Make sure your security light is working. For an energy-efficient solution, there are some great solar security lighting options available. We will be happy to advise.
Property Maintenance for Listed Buildings in London
Listed buildings in London come with their own set of challenges. Care must be taken to ensure that any listed property maintenance or repair is undertaken to meet guidelines. If you are not sure what is or isn’t allowed, contact your council’s conservation officer for advice.
Hints & Tips
- Listed building status covers both the inside and outside of the building, so if you are looking to update your bathroom, you will more than likely need listed building consent before you undertake such a project.
- A listed building is more than likely an old building, which invariably needs more ongoing repairs – check with your council’s conservation office before you undertake any work or changes. If you undertake any work which is not approved, you may face financial penalties, and have to restore the building back to its previous condition at extra cost to you.
- If dealing with listed building requirements is something you would rather not do, a specialist property services company like Montagu Property Services has all the necessary know how and council contacts to ensure that all works are undertaken correctly and meet listing building guidelines.
- Listed buildings can be altered or extended with the right planning approval by your Local Authority. This can be a long and drawn-out processes, so it is advisable to get your application in well in advance of you undertaking any work.
Property Maintenance for London Landlords
For landlords of residential and commercial properties, it is vital that property maintenance is undertaken to ensure that your tenants are safe and, of course, happy. Indoor maintenance can be undertaken as and when needed throughout the year. However, we suggest that outdoor maintenance is carried out during the warmer summer months.
Hints & Tips
- Broken or blocked gutters and downpipes can be a major source of damp in a property. Ensure that there is no debris blocking your gutters or drains, and repair or replace those that are broken.
- Another cause of damp in a property is lack of ventilation. You can improve ventilation by installing extractor fans in high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, and installing vents in the roof to improve airflow and prevent dry rot.
- Check insulation in the loft to make sure that it is not blocking any air vents to prevent condensation building up.
- Paint the exterior of the building – wooden soffits, window and door frames, doors, garage doors and render. During this maintenance task you can check for any rotting wood or rusting metal and take appropriate action.
Commercial Property Maintenance
Internal maintenance tasks can be undertaken as and when your tenants require. However, summer is an ideal time to ‘spruce up’ the exterior of the property to make it more appealing to new tenants and to keep your existing ones happy. It is a good time to tidy outside spaces, cut any lawns and prune trees and shrubs, as well as painting exterior woodwork and metalwork.
Annual Property Maintenance Checklist
The list of property maintenance tasks is endless, but here’s a reminder of a few of the important jobs to do during the summer.
Internal:
- Get the boiler and heating system serviced.
- Decorate internal rooms while you can have your windows wide open.
- Check lagging on pipework and water tanks in the loft.
- Check for any internal damp issues and fix any issues found.
- Remove any mould build up in high moisture areas such as the bathroom and kitchen – use specialist products and always ensure that the room is well ventilated.
- Check sealant around your bath and shower cubicle for any areas where water can escape and reseal if necessary.
External:
- Roof repairs (fix leaking flat roofs, replace damaged or missing tiles, and ensure flashing is secure).
- Fix broken gutters and downpipes.
- Clear out debris from gutters.
- Repoint and repair chimney stacks and other external walls.
- Repair and repaint cracked render.
- Remove or cut back climbing plants such as ivy or wisteria.
- Remove moss and algae.
- Paint exterior woodwork, metal work and masonry.
- Cut back any overhanging tree branches and prune overgrown shrubs.
- Replace badly fitting windows and doors.
- Replace or repair seals around windows and doors.
- Jet wash patios and decking.
Contact the Experts: Our Property Maintenance Service
You may feel that maintaining your property is too much for you to handle. At Montagu Property Services we can carry out a range of maintenance tasks for both the homeowner and landlords of commercial and residential properties.
With over 40 years’ experience in property maintenance, we pride ourselves in the exceptional care and attention we take on all projects, while all our maintenance personnel are highly skilled and industry-accredited.
We can carry out a range of property maintenance and repair services on listed buildings, residential and commercial properties, which include, but are not limited to:
- Brickwork & masonry
- Carpentry & joinery
- Cleaning and jet washing
- Damp proofing & timber treatment
- Central heating repairs and maintenance by Gas Safe engineers (we can also provide landlord certificates)
- Plumbing
- Kitchen & bathroom installation & repair
- Metalworking & repair
- Electrical reports, inspections & repairs (NEICC registered)
- Painting & decorating
- Plastering & rendering
- Property maintenance & repair
- Roof & gutter maintenance & repair
- Water damage & insurance work
- Wood floor polishing & repairs
We understand that with the current Covid-19 situation, site visits to discuss your property maintenance requirements may be difficult, which is why we are offering a virtual consultation to ensure maximum safety. Once the maintenance gets underway, our staff will ensure that all relevant social distancing and safety measures are put in place.
To book your virtual consultation, or to speak to us about your property maintenance requirements in London, please call us on 0207 723 5463 between 8am and 6pm, or email us at info@montagupropertyservices.com.
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