Gutter maintenance in a rental property
When it comes to gutter cleaning maintenance of a rental property during a tenancy, the responsibility rests with the owner/landlord. Regular maintenance and cleaning, at last once a year, should be undertaken as part of general upkeep, to prevent expensive damages that can be caused from ignoring this task.
Gutter cleaning is one of the most overlooked items of maintenance and it is easy to miss when your tenants cannot physically see the state of the gutters, in order to bring it to your property managers attention.
If the gutters become blocked, when there is a heavy down pour of rain, water sits in the gutters and forms a pool that slowly rises, until water trickles in under the roof tiles or roof joins, and into your ceiling. Now you have water coming through your light fittings.
If you can see a brown spot on your ceiling, a new water feature coming through your light fittings, perhaps you have a new bubble in the wall-paint that you didn’t ask for… if damage is caused and you thankfully have insurance, insurance may not cover the damage if it is evident that regular gutter cleaning has not been carried out. One gutter clean per year, is preventative maintenance that should not be missed.
Ellie, a property manager from Wings Real Estate, says: “When doing routine inspections, tenants cleanliness and overall tidiness is important, yes; My main focus when doing routine inspections, is looking for leaks. Whether it be under the kitchen sink, downpipes & gutters - the ceilings are absolutely vital. One of the most effective ways of protecting your investment property, is by protecting the roof, foundation, and structural integrity of the home. This will hold your properties value, rather than depreciate it. I educate tenants on what to look for, and I encourage them to report any water damage to me immediately, irrespective of its severity”.
Having a proactive and well educated property manager, allows you to take the necessary steps in rectifying issues like water damage. Whether it’s considered an urgent repair, or deemed non-urgent, attendance to this type of repair is incredibly important, before the issue becomes more serious, and more expensive.
If you need any further assistance or have any questions, please contact our Property Management Team on 0406 644 188.