Cooking up a clean treat
Most responsible landlords try to ensure that their properties are thoroughly, often professionally, cleaned between lettings.
Of course that sometimes can be something of a challenge. Most landlords stipulate that tenants must keep the property clean and well maintained but let’s be blunt – not all tenants necessarily see this as one of their top priorities.
That’s why many landlords reluctantly accept that either they or their cleaners are going to have to roll-up their sleeves and get stuck in once a letting is concluded.
Yet one area that’s sometimes overlooked by tenants, landlords and cleaners, is the oven.
Ovens can be unsavoury
If you’ve ever opened up an oven and found the walls and grill covered in old congealed oil and fat – then you’ll know how unpleasant that can be.
OK, it may not in itself stop someone renting your property if it is otherwise perfect for their needs but it may well influence negatively some renters if they’re hovering between a yes or no.
It may suggest that there are other nasties lurking in hidden corners!
Dirty ovens can be dangerous!
It’s also a fact that ovens, particularly grill ovens, can ignite and start a nasty fire if they are left covered in uncleaned grease.
Sound alarmist?
The 2007 fire statistic report from the Department of Communities and Local Government indicated that 55% of all domestic fires started on a cooking appliance*
If that isn’t grounds enough for concern, it might be a sobering thought to remember that some buildings insurance for landlords may have clauses relating to the landlord’s obligations concerning the cleaning and maintenance of cooking appliances.
Who is responsible?
Well, you could start a philosophical debate with your insurance company and maybe tenants.
You could perhaps also go around to your tenants and start making impressive speeches and sarcastic observations about the need to keep cooking appliances clean.
Satisfying as both those courses of action may be, if the chips are down (no pun intended) and you suffer a fire, you may find that the buck stops with you.
Doing something about it
In the final analysis, as so often is the case in the life of a landlord, you may just have to accept that this is something you need to deal with periodically – just as you hopefully do with electrical and plumbing inspections etc.
So, here are a few helpful tips:
- periodically and regularly inspect your cooking appliances to ensure that they are clean and free from accumulations of grease and fat;
- in between lettings, if you personally clean then make sure this area receives special attention;
- if you use agency or private cleaners, ask them to guarantee that grills and ovens will be cleaned and check that they have done so;
- make sure that the obligation to keep appliances clean and safe is also written into your rental agreement documentation as being a tenant responsibility.
If this all seems like a mixture of overkill and stating the obvious, well, just think about the costs and potential issues for you if you get it wrong.
They could easily be horrendous and perhaps all easily avoided with the use of a bit of extra cleaning material!
* Source: http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/blog/news/landlords-urged-to-clean-up-their-act
Tags: landlord news