Health and safety in a buy-to-let property should be at the top of your agenda, especially if you are new to property investment. Take a look at all the information on this subject that is available on the internet, and take time to make notes and understand what is required of landlords in terms of their duty of care to tenants.
Upgrade your old electrics
One area that should definitely be left to the professionals is the electrics in your house or flat. If you have just started out in property investment, or have recently added the latest acquisition to a growing portfolio, taking a chance on the electrical wiring in your property is not an option, regardless of whether you intend to rent it out or sell it on.
Cutting corners may be possible on some minor renovation tasks, such as painting and decorating, and the desire to save money often leads new property investors to attempt jobs around the property that they would not otherwise consider tackling themselves.
Some people go as far as taking plumbing and DIY courses at their local college in an attempt to save themselves some money in the long-run, and better prepare them for the next property if they are thinking of building a portfolio. Successfully completing such jobs as fitting your own kitchen, installing an under-floor heating system, and even plumbing in the en-suite are all possible if you are interested in DIY, but certain tasks including those involving electricity, should not be attempted.
Health and safety regulations
Electrical wiring in older homes needs to be replaced in the interests of safety, but you have to make sure that the work is done by experienced, fully-qualified electricians. Once completed, they should give you a certificate to verify that the rewiring has been done by a suitably qualified electrician, and this needs to be copied, with one copy kept for the new owners or tenants.
There are some unscrupulous landlords who would rather save a few pounds than make sure that their tenants are safe, but it is true to say that they are literally playing with fire. Other landlords just haven’t taken the time to understand their obligations, but tenants are becoming increasingly aware of their rights in terms of health and safety, so it pays to be on the ball, very organised, and plough through the red tape as soon as possible.
Author 'David Hamer' is an expert on property renovation in north-east Scotland, so if you are looking for a suitably-qualified trades person he will recommend an Aberdeen electrician to help you. He is able to put you in touch with an Aberdeen electrician with experience of rewiring any size of property.