Preventing frozen pipes: how to prevent pipes from freezing

The winter months can be a worrying time for homeowners. As the temperature begins to drop, thoughts of weather-related flood damage to rented properties, particularly caused by frozen pipes bursting, can often become a reality.

Bursting pipes can become a huge financial burden that could have been avoided if both the tenant and the landlord had taken some simple precautions to protect the property during the winter. Damages can run into the thousands, and often do. These expenses can be for things like plumbing repair work, collapsed roofs, soaked carpets, damaged appliances, and alternative living arrangements for the tenants.

The landlord could prevent the risk of pipe breaks and flooding by making sure all pipes are properly insulated. In addition to preventing heat loss, lining pipes and hot water tanks can prevent pipes from freezing. Do not forget to check that the overflows are connected correctly and not blocked. Blockages can result in significant buildup that can cause pipes to rupture. If the tenant wishes to leave the property unoccupied for a period of time, they are expected to keep the heat down. This can be a financial concern for a tenant. If you have done everything possible to make the property as energy efficient as possible, the tenant may be more willing to follow these instructions, as heat will remain in the property.

The improvements you can think of would include better insulation. This will keep the property warm and dry, which is important to keep bills low for the tenant and make the property more attractive to rent in the future. Ideally, lofts should be insulated to a minimum depth of 270mm to prevent heat loss through the ceiling. Cavity wall and floor insulation should be installed to keep heat inside. The property’s draft test is excellent too. This can be done by making sure all the gaps between the baseboards and the floorboards are filled and that the windows are double-glazed.

Once the landlord has done everything possible to ensure that the property is winter-proofed, it is essential to remind tenants of the necessary precautions that must be taken to protect the property from the results of freezing. Tenants can be pointed out that these precautions could save them from potential costly damage. In a recent case, where proper precautions were not taken, there was a resulting damage of over £ 20,000 to a property where pipes froze and then burst causing major flooding. During the holiday period, many renters will want to go visit family and friends. If tenants intend to be away from the property for more than 24 hours during the winter period (December to April), it would be wise to ask them to observe some simple precautions. For most properties you will need:

Keep central heating on a low or normal setting to maintain a temperature between 55/60 degrees F and leave the roof space hatch open; GOLD

Turn off the water supply and shut off and drain any central heating boilers and associated plumbing. To do this, you will need to ensure that tenants know how to turn off the water supply at the main stopcock. Then they would have to turn on all the taps, hot and cold, to drain the water from the roof storage tank and pipes. Circulating water central heating systems will also need to be drained (and refilled upon return before restarting).

If the worst happens and property damage is caused, the question of who will be responsible for the cost of the repair will be paramount. If the landlord attempts to allege that it was the tenants’ inactions that caused the plumbing to explode, they must be able to thoroughly demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the tenant was aware of their responsibilities and that they had received instructions on how to do so. to reasonably carry out the required precautions. For example, the tenant should have been shown where the water tap is located and how to turn it off. Receive manuals detailing how the heating system works to allow them to control the temperature. It would also be prudent for the lease to contain a clause that requires the tenant to ensure that the heat remains on in the property during cold weather or if the property is left unoccupied to prevent pipes from breaking. The tenant would have a duty to exercise reasonable care to protect the property from damage. It would also be wise to give the tenant notices telling them what to do if they leave the property unoccupied. You may want to send the notice several weeks before the winter months and again at the beginning of the colder period. The notice may also be sent in more than one format, such as one copy by post and one by email. This will make it difficult for the tenant to claim the lack of receipt should a situation arise.

The landlord would also need to have proof of the condition of the property prior to any damage caused. This should preferably be in the form of a professional inventory and condition schedule, to include clear photographs. The tenant must sign and date the inventory and condition schedule as proof that they agree that the inventory records a true relevance to the condition of the property and its contents.

An additional precaution could be taken in the form of homeowners insurance. This is expected to cover the cost of damages in the event of a claim. While you cannot force a tenant to purchase insurance, it would be wise to suggest that they consider this option to protect themselves in the event of a claim.

If a claim is made or if a dispute arises over the cost of damages incurred, you should keep all invoices for work done to repair the property. It would be wise to get more than one quote for any repair. If items need to be replaced again, similar quotes should be provided.

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