If you are a tenant, you want to ensure that you are warm and comfortable in winter.

You also want to ensure that you look after your property because a failure to do so may put your tenancy at risk. It isn’t always to be a tenant in winter, especially if the tenant isn’t helpful, but there are some winter tips for tenants that will ensure you stay warm and comfortable at home.

One of the first tips to consider is making sure you have the contact details of your landlord and the number you should call in an emergency. Hopefully, you won’t need to call your landlord or a professional in an emergency but if you do, you will be pleased to have their contact details to hand.

Know where vital tools and features of your home are located

You should also make sure you know where the stopcock is located in the home. If you are unfortunate enough to have a burst pipe or plumbing related issue, you may need to turn your water off quickly. This isn’t something you want to find out during an emergency, so prepare yourself now in case a bad event occurs and you have to act fast.

You will also benefit from knowing where the fuse box is in the property and how to make changes if required. If there are things around your home that you don’t know how to use or locate, please ask your landlord for guidance because this information is important to you but it also benefits the landlord too.

Make sure you know how the heating system in your home works. During winter, it is best to leave your radiators or heating system on at a low heat for large parts of the day. This minimises the risk of your pipes freezing or other problems occurring.

Be aware of the risks of condensation

One issue to be aware of in winter is condensation. Condensation causes problems for landlords and tenants, and if condensation is allowed to fester, mould can form and this creates major problems in and around the home. The threat of condensation can be minimised if you maintain an even temperature around the home, which is a strong reason for maintaining a low level of heat around your home.

Anyone who is planning on spending time away from their rental property in winter should leave their heating on at a low level and they should also consider investing in timed lighting solutions. This is an affordable yet effective way to minimise your risk of being burgled or broken into. Anything which creates the presence that people are in the home will ward off opportunistic thieves, so this can be a useful addition to your home.

You will also find that timed lighting switches are easy to install and uninstall, so if you are moving home, you can take them with you with a minimum of fuss and effort.

Another tip you should consider is lagging your pipes. This insulates your pipes and reduces the risk of pipes freezing or bursting, which again is of benefit to you and your landlord. It may be that your landlord will take care of this task for you but if they don’t, you can do it yourself quickly and for an affordable price.

There is no denying that good landlords will take care of their rental property and tenants in winter but there is nothing wrong with being proactive. Being a good tenant offers short and long-term benefits, and you get to enjoy a more comfortable home, so it is worth taking these steps.

If you need any advice or guidance on being the best possible tenant, contact Innovate for support and guidance.