Property maintenance for landlords and holiday lets

What a maintenance firm can do

A maintenance firm handles the small jobs that keep a let home safe and tidy. Many work on a call-out basis, and some offer a regular visit.

• Fix small faults reported by tenants or guests.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and change batteries.
• Clear gutters and keep paths, fences and gates safe.
• Repaint and repair between lets.
• Let in and meet gas engineers, electricians and other trades.

Legal checks for private landlords in England

Some checks are legal duties that a handyman cannot sign off. These are the main ones for a private rented home.

• Gas: a gas safety check on each gas appliance and flue every year, by a Gas Safe registered engineer (HSE).
• Electrics: an inspection and test by a qualified person at least every 5 years (Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020).
• Smoke alarms: at least one on each storey with a room used as living accommodation.
• Carbon monoxide alarms: in each room with a fixed combustion appliance, except a gas cooker.
• Alarms: check they work on the first day of each new tenancy, and repair or replace them when told they are faulty.

Holiday lets

A holiday let has its own fire safety duties. Under the Fire Safety Order, the responsible person must do a fire risk assessment and record the findings. The Home Office guide for small paying guest homes sets out what to expect.

The gas safety duties cover homes let for money under a lease or a licence. Most holiday lets with gas need a yearly gas safety check. Our holiday let changeover guide lists the checks.

Commercial property

Some firms also maintain shops, offices and holiday parks. Ask for proof of public liability insurance, and ask how the firm records each visit.

For work at height on a business site, ask how the firm plans the job. HSE says ladders suit only low-risk, short jobs.

Questions

Sources