A property maintenance and plumbing firm in the UK conducted a study which revealed that almost half of people who’d rented a home experienced some sort of health issue due to its condition.
Fortunately, the most common maintenance problems tend not to impact on tenants health. They are relatively easy to remedy by a professional.
Nick Bizley, director of operations at Aspect, says “even the most unsettling problem normally has a relatively simple explanation.”
“While some issues can be resolved without too much know-how, homeowners would probably need the assistance of skilled tradespeople to fix the majority of problems.”
At this time of the year, more problems become apparent with our homes, as explained by Nick.
“It’s certainly that time of year when our homes start to cause us problems. For example, electrics like lighting and electric heating are being used more, and people are starting to use their central heating after several months of no use, so there’s more demand on the home’s appliances and systems.”
If increased demand on your property results in problems, you might be tempted to try and fix them yourself. We always recommend calling in the experts who will fix the issue swiftly and adequately.
Look Out for These 3 Common Issues with Your Next Rental Home
- Dripping Taps. The most common reason for a dripping tap in a rental property is a defective washer. A relatively cheap and easy DIY task, it only usually requires a couple of essential tools. However, it can be rather fiddly. If the problem goes beyond a deteriorated washer, you’ll have to take most of the tap apart and to do this, you will need some basic plumbing knowledge. Speak to your local plumber. They will work out the defective part and replace it, if possible. Otherwise, they may recommend the more expensive outcome of a brand new tap.
- Low Water Pressure. If your shower isn’t as powerful as usual, your tap is trickling, or your washing machine takes ages to fill, its probably down to low water pressure. In some cases, the cause of low water pressure can be easy to fix. e.g. if your tap’s aerator becomes clogged up with limescale or you’ve accidentally closed the shut-off valve on your water heater. In other cases, you will need to call in a professional plumber to rectify the issue. After all, many problems with low water pressure are due to deposits and buildup in your pipework. An unknown leak can also cause this.
Knocking Sounds When Taps Turned On. Knocking or tapping pipes doesn’t just occur in kitchens or bathrooms. They can occur in any part of your home. Noises from appliances such as a TV or washing machine may mask the problem at first. However, you may eventually notice it while trying to sleep. Most of the time, these sounds relate to high water pressure, mainly if it occurs just before or after turning your taps. Contact your local plumber specialising in central heating who will probably be able to fix the issue quickly.