The elements aren’t always kind to us when it comes to our homes and investment properties and as the weather warms up and there are heightened risks with the potential for bushfires, it is important to ensure that you have a maintenance plan for your property.
Don’t wait until it is too late to save your home, and take a few steps to ensure that the property is as protected as possible, especially in bushfire-prone areas.
Inspect the property
When was the last time that the property was inspected for potential hazards and maintained to reduce the risk to the home? Now is the time to ensure that the property is prepared and our property management team can assist you with a maintenance plan in advance.
You might need to look at items like overhanging trees, and gutters that may be clogged with leaves, remove materials from underneath the property and create firebreaks.
Our property management team will also work with you throughout the year to ensure that smoke alarms and other fire safety devices are checked and working, usually through a qualified third-party company.
Educate the tenants
The tenants will also need to be educated on their responsibilities like ensuring that any lawns and gardens are regularly maintained.
Your property manager will work with the tenants to inform them of their obligations to maintain the property and remind them to ensure that they have distaster plans in place and be aware of how to turn off electricity and gas should the need arise with a fire.
Ensure that you are insured
If you don’t already have a good landlord insurance policy that covers your property for elements like bushfires, it is advisable to check your current coverage and talk to your insurer about what can be covered and the associated costs.
They will also be able to provide you with what they require under the policy and the property manager can also communicate any of these requirements to the tenants including that they should seek their own coverage for insurance of contents as this is not covered under the landlord’s policy.
Our property management team will help prepare you and the tenant to ensure that the risk to your property is minimised should it be subject to a bushfire. Contact one of our qualified property managers who can help you with a plan to reduce hazards and prepare you for the warmer seasons.