Home Turf Lettings will undertake regular maintenance and Health and Safety inspections; however you also have a duty of care for the property under the terms of your Tenancy Agreement. You are expected to promptly report any issues within the property you are renting. Failure to report issues in the timely manner may put your safety in danger and/or cause unnecessary damage to your property. You may be charged for any additional damage caused as a result of late reporting.
Below is a guide for issues to look out for when maintaining and caring for your home.
Caring for the appliances
A certain amount of care and maintenance is needed in order to keep appliances in top operating condition. In some cases, improper care can render the appliance warranty null and void which can cause needless expense.
Dishwashers and washing machines – regularly check that the connection pipes are not leaking and that filters are cleaned.
Cookers – it is important to clean hobs and ovens regularly. Cleaning a cooker at the end of your tenancy (where it has had significant use over the last 6+ month) is unlikely to work and you are likely to be charged for a further clean from your deposit.
Fridge/Freezers – if your freezer does not have an auto-defrost function built in its advisable to fully defrost your freezer once or twice a year to avoid a build up of ice causing your appliance to have to overwork.
Even if your appliances are your own, and not supplied by Home Turf Lettings, we would advise that you still take appropriate steps to maintain and take care of them. This will not only lengthen the life of the appliance, but also prevent those appliances causing any other damage to the property.
Gifted Appliances
We or the property owner may on occasion “gift” appliances or furniture to you at the start of the tenancy. We will discuss this with you where it is an option. If you accept a gifted appliance or furniture item, it will become your responsibility to maintain and to remove from the property at the end of the tenancy.
Helpful hint! If you type the make and model number for an appliance into an internet search you can often find a copy of the instruction manual and within that there will be guidance to how to properly maintain the product.
House Cracking & Movement
Please let us know if you notice any cracks to walls or ceilings and movement. If cracks were in place when you moved in, contact us if you notice them changing shape or growing larger.
Grouting/Tiling/Taps
Please inform us if you notice grouting or silicone sealant deteriorating or becoming loose around any tiles in your kitchen or bathroom. If moisture gets in between tiles it will damage behind the wall, seep through the plaster boards to the floor below. Please also look out for signs of deterioration of sealant around taps, sinks or baths and report this to us immediately in order to prevent leaks.
Cleaning the tiles and grouting prevents discolouration and the formation of black mould. If this starts to happen then you can try cleaning with a mix of baking soda and vinegar, bleach or there are also products specifically designed to clean the grout.
Carpets and flooring
There are some key elements to the maintenance and upkeep of the carpets in your rented home:
Regular vacuuming. This is an essential part of regular weekly cleaning. Without vacuuming the carpets regularly, they will deteriorate very quickly. If you have been allowed to have a pet in your property ensure that your vacuum cleaner is one suitable for picking up pet hair.
Dealing with stains and spills. These should be dealt with quickly. Be careful with cleaning products as they can make it worse. Always read the instructions before use.
Rips and tears. If you notice any rips, tears or frays to your carpet or any flooring in the house please do your best to make suitable repairs yourself and report the matter to us. If you are unable to make repairs and it is likely that the damage could get worse please make sure you let us know about it.
Moving furniture. You should never drag furniture across a carpet or floor as this could cause irreparable damage. Ensure you have enough people to lift the item across the room.
Pest Control
Please do all you can to stop rubbish from building up in your garden or around your home as this can lead to pests such as rats and mice.
Home Turf Lettings are not normally responsible for dealing with pest problems in a property. If you suspect you have a pest problem we would advise that you try a household product such as poison or traps in the first instance. If you are not sure what product best to use, do feel free to contact us. Then if this doesn’t solve the issue please call the environmental health department of your local council.
