Landlords urged to protect homes against winter weather
Landlords have been reminded to make sure that their properties are well protected against potential damage from the winter weather.
According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), property owners need to ensure that they take proactive measures to protect their buildings from winter weather damage by actions such as making sure water is turned off at the mains to prevent frozen pipes from bursting.
Building owners and businesses alike were also urged to make sure that they check their heating settings if their premises will be empty over the festive period.
If the heating is set to come on periodically on a lower than normal setting, then pipes will be able to stay warm, lowering the chances of bursting.
It is also imperative to ensure that the adequate level of landlord property insurance is taken out to pre-empt any potential damage that could occur.
Rics maintained that the potential fallout of extreme temperatures and weather conditions may not be fully realised until snow and ice has fully melted and areas in need of improvement and repair are properly revealed.
So far this winter extremes of temperature have only been felt in some parts of the country, and for a short period, but there is still plenty of time for icy conditions to make an appearance.
Keith Denholm, chair of Allied Surveyors Scotland and the Rics Scotland Residential Property Professional Group, pointed out that once snow and ice has cleared up, property owners will be fully able to conduct a 360-degree assessment of their roofs, floors, walls, windows and doors.
"These need to be improved and repaired by sealing and insulating better where possible, ready for further freezing weather conditions," he advised.
Mr Denholm added that letting a property breathe warm air out is just as important as stopping cold air from coming in.
"Today's lifestyle of showers, washing up, periodic short bouts of heating throughout the day and lack of ventilation can lead to a build-up of what amounts daily to litres of water which forms condensation and damp," he explained.
"This problem can be reduced by simply opening the windows every now and then."
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