Just like your car, your property needs regular care and maintenance to stay in its best condition. Over time, natural wear and tear, the weather and the occasional accident can wear down surfaces, leave scratches and discolour paint. It all adds up to a tired-looking building that is no longer as welcoming as it once was.
Maintenance is not just about making things look good, either. Without regular care, properties can become damaged, leading to bigger and more expensive problems further down the line.
If you are a landlord, you will find that prospective tenants are put off by poorly maintained or grubby-looking homes.
It is therefore a smarter and more economical choice to invest in regular maintenance and repairs, whether the property is your own home or part of your portfolio.
Here are some of the key areas your maintenance should focus on.
Maintain Your Extractor Fans
Extractor fans remove humid air, moisture and steam, and are usually found in the bathroom and kitchen.
Because they play such a vital role in preventing mould, you will want to make sure they are performing at their best. Over time, they also collect dust and grime, which makes them look unsightly.
Give them a good clean, inside and out, so they move as much air as possible and do not put off potential tenants. If you use a property maintenance company, make sure extractor fans are something they check.
Renew Your Bathroom Silicone
The silicone around your bath and basin is a vital defence against damp and mould. It creates a watertight seal that stops splashes seeping behind them.
However careful you are, and however much you clean, the silicone eventually wears away and is attacked by black mould.
You would be surprised how much better a bathroom looks after the silicone is replaced, so it is an important item on your maintenance schedule.
Whether you do it yourself or use a maintenance service, make sure the colour of the new silicone matches, so the bathroom keeps its look.
Carry Out General Repairs
A wonky kitchen cupboard, a bedroom door that sticks or a loose tile: these can all happen in a property over time. While you or the current tenant may think of them as quirks or part of its “character”, to a prospective tenant they are a sign of neglect.
They are often simple fixes, usually tightening a few screws, adding a little adhesive or replacing a small fixture or fitting. But they can take up a lot of time, especially if you have a long list.
If you are planning to do it yourself, set aside a good few hours or even a whole day, and survey all the issues first, so you can get the tools and parts you need before you begin.
If you are short of time, a property maintenance company can do this work for you.
Check for & Replace Faulty Light Bulbs
You or your tenants may have had a bulb blow and either not noticed or not bothered to replace it, because there was still enough light to see. However, leaving a blown bulb can shorten the life of the other bulbs in the same fitting.
Despite manufacturers’ claims, even modern LED bulbs can fail after a couple of years. Faults in the fittings themselves can speed this up, so pay attention to whether some bulbs fail more often than others.
If you let a portfolio of properties, look for a company that replaces bulbs as part of its landlord services. If you are maintaining your own home, keep a set of spare bulbs and replace them as they fail.
Remember to switch the light off before replacing a bulb, and let it cool down before you touch it.
Do a Deep Clean
To buyers and renters, a clean property shows that you look after it, and that you are likely to look after them throughout a tenancy.
However house proud you are, there will always be things you miss, cannot reach or struggle with when cleaning. Yet cleanliness matters, whether you are living in the property, looking for a tenant or trying to sell it.
A full deep clean can take a long time, especially if the property has been neglected. Layers of grease build up on kitchen surfaces, even if you do not notice them, and they take a lot of effort to remove.
Carpets, walls and floors also need a thorough clean to remove dust, grime and greasy handprints.
A good maintenance company will also pay attention to places you would not normally look, like the tops of cupboards, where dust can build up for years without being noticed.
Paint & Decorate for a Fresh Look
A fresh coat of paint goes a long way to making a property look its best. Paint also protects the plaster and other surfaces, which is why many leases require the owner to redecorate the walls and ceilings every few years.
If you are doing it yourself, use the right paints, protect the surfaces you are not painting, clean the surfaces and let them dry, apply a primer, and keep an even coat to avoid overlap marks. Our guide to the 10 most common painting mistakes covers each of these.
If that sounds like too much work, a professional can do it for you, and you will not need to lift a finger.
Looking for a Property Maintenance Company in London?
At Yasmeen Property Services, we understand the importance of regular maintenance. Our property maintenance team looks after homes, rental properties and commercial spaces across London. For landlords, our refreshes between tenancies cover lighting, flooring, decoration and repairs, turned round quickly so the property is back on the market, as at Sheringham and Brent. To find out how we can help, request a free site visit and quotation below.
