For landlords, long-term tenants - are usually the ones you can quietly rely on. Those tenants that have gone well past their original rental agreement and now on a rolling contract and they’re probably your most punctual tenants when it comes to their monthly rent payments.
They rarely make complaints to you or the lettings agency, and respectfully keep themselves to themselves.
But it’s important not to end up accidentally neglecting these very tenants.
Paradoxically, long-term tenants can actually require that extra bit of special attention (aside from the routine inspections) once they're a few years into their tenancy, as they pass the threshold of time where things can start to go wrong or break in a property simply through regular, everyday wear and tear.
It’s worth considering the below points and deal with instances of fair wear and tear that may lower a tenant's living conditions quickly. It will help to keep your most reliable, long-term tenants happy.
Plumbing
A property’s plumbing is one of the biggest things that you can develop issues through wear and tear as time takes its toll.
The tightness of seals around taps on sinks and baths can loosen and begin to leak water, while limescale can build-up around the tap nozzles, both visible and further in - altering the flow of water and causing splashback onto the basin's flat surfaces.
The chrome on bathrooms taps, showers and other fixtures can also begin to fade as well.
At this point, it may well be worth investing in new fittings for the bathroom or kitchen to improve the look of the property and the efficiency of the taps.
Another plumbing issue that can rear its head over time is the blocking of drains. The bathroom and kitchen waste water pipes deal with a daily barrage of soapy, dirty water, and this build-up of congealed soap scum and hair can restrict water flow considerably over time and and even cause a total blockage.
Also, outside the property there's things to keep an eye on, like growing vegetation and tree roots. It's been known for eager tree roots to press-up on the external waste water pipe, crushing it and restricting the water flow and resulting in a blockage and the bath and sink unable to empty properly, if at all.
In terms of blockages, whatever the cause, tenants may notice when taking baths, showers or using the sink that water is taking longer to empty. That’s a tell-tale sign of a developing blockage.
It’s well worth asking tenants either directly or through a physical checklist if they’re noticing any of the things mentioned above – this way you can nip it in the bud and deal with it in good time.
Carpets
Even well-looked after carpets that are regularly vacuumed and cleaned with dedicated carpet cleaners can slowly lose fabric volume and vibrancy.
In particular, thinner carpets are susceptible to footfall and wear quicker, especially in rooms that have a lot of traffic and footfall and in smaller flats where there aren’t many routes you can take to walk around.
After a 3 years and beyond, a short carpet in a small one-bedroom flat where the living room holds the kitchen area - thus this doing the job of two rooms - is guaranteed to be showing wear and flatness from heavy footfall when compared to how it looked when newly installed.
As landlord, it's worth looking into if any carpets where footfall is highest need replacing. Sure, it can be a pain to do this while furniture is in situ and finding a right time to do it can be problematic, but it’s a great gesture to the current tenant. And, it also means it’s will be ready for the next tenant.
Garden
In most cases a tenant is typically responsible for the general maintenance of the front and back garden such as mowing the lawns, ensuring there’s no build-up of refuge bags and its not being used as a dumping ground, generally keeping things tidy.
However, things such as large trees or bushes around the perimeter or at the foot of the garden can become overgrown, blocking out precious sunlight, satellite TV signals or have the potential of becoming hazards - this will need to be dealt with by professionals.
It’s definitely worth checking the general lay of the land when it comes to maintaining the harder parts of a garden’s natural vegetation. Overgrown trees can become a problem remarkably quickly and cab be a major concern for tenants and their neighbours alike for reducing quality of life.
So, don't forget, don't overlook your long-term tenants and increase the overall health of your portfolio.
