According to the Met Office, winter is due to officially start this year on 21st December, bringing with it cold and wet weather.
This, in turn, brings with it a whole list of challenges for many in society who may be without hot water or heating this time of year, leading to a lot of the more vulnerable members of the public feeling the effects.
As this cold weather rapidly approaches, your home needs to be well-insulated and free from damp and leaks. Your landlord is obligated to ensure that any issues of disrepair, once they have been made aware, are dealt with in a reasonable timeframe.
At Brown Turner Ross, we can help you to make sure that your home is kept in a reasonable state of repair so you can stay prepared for the cold weather this year.
Property issues caused by cold weather
Of course, we all know that the weather feels unpleasant during these cold months but that feeling is also felt by your home.
Colder conditions can cause many problems including:
- Broken windows
- Cracks in the brickwork of the exterior
- Cracks in the plaster on the interior
- Issues with water and pipework for the property
When in very cold temperatures, glass can sometimes crack, leaving your home to become exposed to the elements. Similarly, this cold weather especially in conjunction with rain or other water can cause the exterior of the property to crack and leave gaps that will eventually lead to damp in the property.
It is also possible that the lower temperatures can cause the pipes of the property, whether for water or waste, to be damaged; this is likely to cause problems with plumbing or heating in your home.
For this reason, it is vitally important for us to ensure that landlords act in line with their repair obligations in order to keep your home in a reasonable state of repair during these cold, winter months.
If there is an element of disrepair in your home and your landlord has not responded to your reports in a reasonable timeframe, you may be eligible to claim for Housing Disrepair.
If you have problems with your landlord not carrying out repairs, please call us on 01704 542 002 to make an enquiry.