Do you have a new tenant moving it, wondering which appliance is most likely to get damaged? We have a list of all the appliances to keep an eye on.
When renting out a property, every landlord knows that regular inspections matter. Most tenants take care of the houses they live in, but there are unfortunately exceptions. If left to their own devices, a minority of rogue tenants can leave a trail of damage in their wake. By the time they’ve left, you might face a large bill to put things right.
According to Homelet’s survey 51% of landlords have had a problem tenant, and 29% said they had retained a tenant’s deposit to deal with damage, mess, or excessive cleaning after their departure.
Paying for Broken Goods
Broken appliances are by far the biggest issue that landlords face after a property has been rented. Whether your property is let furnished or unfurnished, it’s likely that you’ll need to deal with this at some stage.
Some of your appliances could quickly rack up huge bills:
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If you supply a washing machine for your tenant, poor maintenance could cause leaks, poor drainage, or restricted water flow in the machine. Door seals can cost anything from £50 plus the cost of a call-out and labour, while more serious issues are likely to make your washing machine a write-off.
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One of the biggest issues with ovens is poor or non-existent cleaning; a tenant that doesn’t own the oven probably won’t put as much effort into keeping it pristine. A door seal is a cheap fix, but if you find a cracked door on inspection, the cost will creep up to over £200.
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Modern halogen and induction hobs look the part but can be easily broken by a careless user. Once the glass is cracked, the hob should not be used. Often, replacement is cheaper than repair -- and with an induction hob, repair is often impossible anyway.
Accidents do happen, and many tenants will immediately alert a landlord to problems. But on occasion, you could be left with spiralling bills for repairs and replacements. And you’ll have to put everything right before your property can be re-let.
Protecting Against Repair Bills
Experienced landlords know that preparation is key when it comes to letting property.
Before you let, you should have an inventory detailing all of the fittings, fixtures, and furniture in the property.
If you supply appliances, take photos inside and outside, and note the brands, models, and serial numbers.
This evidence could prove invaluable if your tenant causes damage and you need to make a claim against them in the future.
It’s also a good idea to line up a reliable repair company. Your tenant has rights, and once a broken appliance is reported, you’ll need to fix the issue straight away. Not all landlords want to spend their evenings and weekends unblocking vacuum cleaners or attending to a broken tumble dryer.
Fast reliable appliance repairs
For fixed-price repairs, check out Go Assist’s rapid repair service. Our no fix, no fee promise ensures that you’ll only pay for effective repairs, and it also aims to get an engineer out the same day or the next day after you’ve paid.
Even more importantly, all repair costs are fixed - including the call-out charge.
For more information about Go Assist’s guaranteed appliance repairs for landlords, book your appliance repair today.