Useful Tips

Here are the checks and maintenance that should be carried out annually to prepare the house for spring and summer:

Spring-clean and air the house. This includes deep cleaning carpets and soft furnishings, curtains, bedding, and giving windows a thorough clean.
You may also want to clean and sanitise appliances such as the oven, fridge, and dishwasher.
Now is a good time to take stock of the contents of your freezer, larder or food cupboard: dispose of out-of-date items (and don’t forget to throw out those old condiments at the back of the fridge).
In the bathroom, do a total floor-to-ceiling clean, including fixtures and tiles.
If you have timber floors, now may be the time to do the periodic maintenance or treatments that the manufacturers recommend, such as waxing, sealing and buffing.
Outdoors, pressure-wash any paths, patios and decks.

In autumn, it’s important to carry out pre-winter checks and maintenance:

Have your boiler serviced, to ensure that it is in top working order for the winter.
Similarly, get gas fires tested and inspected to ensure that they will be functioning properly (and efficiently) during the winter months.
Clear debris from gutters and drainpipes in preparation for rain and snow, including box gutters and valleys on roofs. If the property is surrounded by trees, repeat in early to mid-December.
Check water storage tanks, loft spaces and external water pipes to ensure they are adequately insulated.
Inspect pitched roofs for slipped slates or tiles; inspect flat roofs for splits, bubbles or puddling.
Inspect roof flashings and chimneys for integrity.
Check all external drain gulleys and clear them of debris.
Check air bricks, vents and outlets for obstructions.
Check working fireplaces and flues, whether gas or solid fuel appliances, for obstructions and proper function. A smoke test should be carried out, and chimney flues swept if necessary.
Check external lighting and motion sensors for proper functioning.
Treat timber fences, gates, decking, sheds and furniture, as required.
Cut back, prune, clear and prepare the garden for winter.
Make sure the ground level around house is below the damp proof course, and that the damp proof course has not been bridged in any way.
Check that TV aerials and satellite dishes are secure.

Tasks that need to be carried out at other intervals:

Test smoke and fire alarms monthly, if possible.
Clean windows, both internally and externally, every three months.
Maintain garden periodically, as required.
Test security alarm every six months, and maintain as required.
Apply a proprietary drain cleaning solution to kitchen sinks, basins, shower and bath drains, every six months.

Biannually:

Do a safety inspection of electrical installations.
Carry out a visual inspection of exterior decorations/paintwork, and touch up as required.
Perform a visual inspection of brickwork, including garden walls, and make remedial repairs as required.

Every five years: