Reports2Go

Guide to HMO Property Inspections: Ensuring Safety and Compliance

How frequently should HMOs do property inspections?

Compared to single-family rentals, HMOs should have more regular inspections. This is due to the landlord's and manager's legal responsibility under the HMO Management Regulations to maintain the upkeep of the property to ensure safety.

HMO owners and managers must make sure someone routinely inspects the property to see whether anything needs to be fixed because they can't always rely on tenants to report issues.

The frequency of inspections will vary with the size of the HMO and duration of the tenancies. Usually quarterly or half yearly inspections are the norm. Use our software to create mid-tenancy reports. It will only take you a few minutes to finish a report.

All tenancy agreements now include an implied covenant, inserted by Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, allowing the landlord or their designated representative to view the property's "condition and state of repair" at reasonable times during the day upon providing the tenant with a 24-hour written notice.

Determining the underlying causes of mould and moisture, such as structural problems or insufficient ventilation, is the landlord's job. For example, is there dampness because the ventilation has been blocked? Are the UPVC windows' trickle vents open to aid in ventilation? Do you observe any indications of a leaky roof or clogged drains? Do they use heaters to dry their clothes? This causes condensation. Likewise, the tenant may require instruction as to how to keep the bathtub or shower mould-free.

Any damaged radiator valves, hazardous light fixtures, or leaky taps? Have the light fixtures been altered? Is the hot water functional? Every year, boilers need to be maintained, ideally scheduled to be done simultaneously with the gas safety certificate.

Find out from the tenants what temperature the hot water is set at; ideally, it should be higher than 50 degrees Celsius to help stop the growth of Legionella bacteria in the water system. A hot water tank's holding temperature should be 60°C.

Additionally, be sure to test the CO and smoke alarms at least once a year.

With the help of Reports2Go mid-tenancy reports, landlords and property managers can keep on top of maintenance tasks, enable a communication channel with tenants and help to ensure trouble-free tenancies.

Panos, 16 August 2024