When you are thinking about buying a holiday home the maintenance of your home may be one of your concerns. Throughout the year it is important to ensure that your property if properly maintained. For this reason we have created a checklist to ensure you don’t miss any key maintenance jobs and that they are all ticked off:
• Check for blockages and leaks in all taps, sinks and other fixtures in the kitchen, bathrooms and utilities
• Check all rooms for damp or signs of moisture
• Are the burglar alarms working? Replace if not, and also consider installing smart security and cameras so that you can keep an eye on the property when you’re not around
• Empty the septic tank if needed (annually)
• In any garden areas, weed, plant and prune as necessary
• Make sure all tiles are clean and re-grout if needed
• Make sure all lights are working
• Make sure all white goods (fridge, freezer, washing machine) are working sufficiently and have an up-to-date PAT test
• Do a safety check in outdoor spaces around the pool: trip hazards, broken tiles, slippery surfaces and sharp edges might need to be dealt with, especially if you’re likely to have small children visiting
• Check for blockages in the gutters and drains
• If you’ve got a chimney, make sure it is swept (especially ahead of winter)
• Check all linen, outdoor furniture and other aesthetic items such as cushions and indoor sofas for tears, stains and so on. This is particularly important if you’re renting out your holiday home outside your immediate family
• Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries if needed
• Paint walls or skirting boards if needed
• Bleed radiators if needed
• Get the boiler serviced by a professional
• Check for blockages in the air conditioning
Of course, this is not a complete list, but hopefully it will provide a good starting point for checking the safety and maintenance of your second home.
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