5 ways CPS Homes can save you time and money!
As the largest lettings agency in Cardiff and the biggest student accommodation provider, we house thousands of students every year, and before moving into their new home, we ask all tenants to sign a sheet that sets out their duty to act in a ‘tenant-like’ manner, which includes:
Bleeding radiators (and topping up boiler pressure)
You’d be surprised as to how many calls we take for ‘broken radiators’. With a lot of our tenants having just moved out on their own for the first time, problems that simply require a little bit of advice will crop up frequently. We have a maintenance team on hand to talk any newbies through the procedure.
Whether it be bleeding radiators or topping up boiler pressure; they are things that may be daunting to young tenants, and they assume they should be calling the landlord. A quick chat with one of our team will ease the tenant’s mind, and give them the skills to deal with these little problems on their own from now on. It’s completely safe to bleed the radiators and to top up boiler pressure, and it’s something that tenants are expected to do under the phrase 'tenant-like manner' (s11 of The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985). Less hassle, less call out charges, (and handy tenants!) - sorted!
Pest control
In urban areas (and particularly student properties), pests can often be a problem. Any pest problems ensuing within the first 21 days of the tenancy are usually the tenants’ responsibility, as it will nearly always be as the result of poor living conditions – letting rubbish build up, for example. We explain this to tenants, and advise them on how to deal with the problem themselves, without having to involve the landlord.
Mould and damp
Mould, condensation and damp are the most common problems arising in tenanted properties. Often, the tenants will be responsible for mould and/or condensation, so we will explain to them, in detail, how to treat it and prevent its return. We also advise landlords to invest in certain preventive measures – like fitting trickle vents on windows; ensuring there are sufficient and well-placed radiators and/or extractor fans throughout the property (as required by HMO requirements); and we also strongly advise investing in a tumble dryer for tenants – who will then have no excuse for any condensation caused by air-drying soggy clothes!
Blockages
If a tenant reports a blockage, we instruct them to pour a drain un-blocker product down first. If this doesn’t work and a plumber needs to be called out, we advise the tenants that if the blockage is found to be caused by them, they will be responsible and must pay for any necessary repair work. That way, our landlords won’t need to pay for repairs that were easily avoidable and caused by tenants’ negligence.
Keys
We cut copies of spare keys that are securely held in our office (we also use a coded system to prevent anyone else knowing which property they’re for). If a tenant loses their key or locks themselves out (which happens a lot!) we can book out one of our copies to them short-term for them to get a new one cut themselves, at their expense. The landlord needn’t be bothered at all!
We hope these handy tips help you save time and money, but if you need further assistance with any aspect of property maintenance, please do get in touch today on 02920 668585, email enquiries@cpshomes.co.uk or pop into our Woodville Road branch in the heart of Cathays, Cardiff.
