Property Maintenance – Why landlords need to make sure this is completed annually

In January 2023, Auckland was faced with an unprecedented amount of prolonged torrential rain which not only took lives but caused billions of dollars’ worth of damage. The Point Property Team prepared themselves for lots of calls relating to this event and followed up with their landlords and tenants to make sure everything, and everyone, was ok. What they found was, thanks to their encouragement to landlords about completing annual maintenance, only four properties from the entire portfolio suffered extreme flooding, and some were caused by external factors outside the tenant or landlords’ control. Definitely a proud moment for the Point Property Management team.

Annual maintenance sounds like a daunting task. However, it makes sense to complete it to give yourself peace of mind for when mother nature decides to unleash, so you aren’t worried about your tenant or your investment.

So, what should be covered in a property’s annual maintenance?

• Spouting and downpipe cleaning. A fairly straightforward task of ensuring leaves are not blocking the spouting and downpipes.
• Drain check. It’s one thing to look at the spouting and downpipes, but once the water hits the actual drain is it able to drain away quickly? If not, it might be time to look in there too.
• The roof is a vital part of any home, so have a look for any loose roofing or cracked tiles. If you have a long run iron roof have a look for any lifting bolts to ensure the roof is well secured.
• If your property has a fireplace, have this cleaned.
• Review air conditioning units, check the filters and have them serviced so they are running efficiently, and no foreign matter has become caught in the exterior unit. This gives the unit longer life and is essential for validation of the warranty.
• Landscaping is also essential. Tree trimming, loose outdoor tiles, hedge trimming to name a few items that require regular attention.
• Check the exterior cladding of your property to make sure there are no cracks or areas where water may get in. Pay close attention to areas around the windows.
• House wash – Your homeshould be washed annually to remove any dirt, dust, grime and mould.Washing your house will also help preserve any painted areas.
• Deck areas and balconies. Ensure these areas are well secure and have no lifting nails or rotting timber. A good deck stain can help preserve a timber deck. This is a task that can be done by you, or you can hire an expert to complete this for you.
• Check under the house. Make sure the foundations are secure, and any wiring or plumbing is not in need of repair or replacement.
• Windows, walls and doors. Look for cracked windows, make sure windows and doors open and close as they should and look for any signs of cracks, mould or water damage on the walls.
• Plumbing – Check for dripping taps and blocked sinks and toilets.

Most of the time, the above tasks will just be part of your regular preventative maintenance, but there may be things from time to time that require repairs or even could be a big maintenance project such as rewiring or painting. Due to this, the best way to prepare for unexpected costs is to factor it into your annual maintenance budget.

In some of our previous articles, we have covered off how much you should spend on maintenance for your residential investment property, and we have detailed methods of how to budget for it. You can view this article here. How much should you spend on property maintenance