The beautiful Central Otago autumn colours are reminder of important property maintenance around your rental home.

Number 1 is get chimneys cleaned. These days a professional chimney sweep will have the job done without the use of ladders, scaffolding and heaps of sooty mess. I have watched local chimney sweep, Curly , attach a series of brushes to what looks like a household power drill and then feed the rods through a neat eyelet in a canvas which covers the fireplace. It stops automatically when it reaches the top. Job done ! Its a good idea to also check on rope door seals, fire bricks and baffles to ensure the fire is working efficiently and safely.

Number 2 is clean gutters. Even if your house is not close to deciduous trees, its cheap insurance to check gutters are running well. A blocked gutter can quickly lead to an overflow situation with devastating effects on wall and roof spaces. Gutter guards will prevent the bulk of leaves ending up in your gutters but still need to be checked and maintained.

Number 3 is check on fire safety. Are smoke alarms working and do your tenants have a covered metal bucket for ash? You would be surprised at how many people think a plastic bucket will be sufficient and how many people are totally unaware of the dangers of leaving supposedly cold ash in a bucket or bag . As a landlord it gives peace of mind knowing you have done all you can to keep your tenants safe and happy.