Winter is unforgiving to poorly maintained rental properties. A blocked gutter, an unserviced boiler, or a single unlagged pipe can escalate from a minor oversight into a costly emergency — and a strained relationship with your tenant. The good news is that most winter problems are entirely preventable, provided you act before the cold arrives rather than after it does.
Here are five checks every landlord should be working through before winter sets in.
1. Service the Boiler and Heating System
This is the most important pre-winter check, and in England it is also a legal obligation. Landlords are required to have all gas appliances, including boilers, serviced annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer and to provide tenants with a copy of the gas safety certificate within 28 days of it being issued (gov.uk, 2024). Autumn is the right time to book this in — before engineers’ diaries fill up and before tenants start relying on the heating in earnest.
Beyond the legal minimum, it is worth bleeding the radiators and checking that thermostatic radiator valves are working correctly. Both are simple steps that improve heat distribution and reduce energy waste. Tenants should also be advised to maintain a background temperature — never letting the property drop below around 13°C — to protect the pipework when they are away.
2. Protect the Pipes
Burst pipes are one of the most disruptive and expensive things that can happen to a rental property in winter. Prevention is straightforward: lag any exposed pipework in lofts, outbuildings, or unheated spaces; repair any existing drips or hairline cracks before they are exacerbated by freezing temperatures; and make sure your tenant knows where the stopcock is. If a pipe does freeze and burst, being able to isolate the water supply quickly limits the damage significantly.
It is also worth walking the property with an eye on any external brickwork or pointing that could allow water ingress. Water that gets into a wall and then freezes can cause serious structural damage over time.
3. Inspect the Roof, Gutters, and Exterior
Autumn is the right time for this check — after the leaves have fallen and before the worst of the weather arrives. Blocked gutters are one of the most common and avoidable causes of water damage to rental properties: when gutters overflow, water runs down external walls rather than away from the building, leading to damp, staining, and in time structural damage.
Walk the perimeter and clear any debris from the gutters. Then look up at the roof. Missing or displaced tiles leave the property exposed to driving rain and high winds. If you have a chimney stack, check for cracked brickwork or any visible lean — both warrant closer inspection from a roofer.
4. Address Damp, Mould, and Insulation
Winter is when underlying damp and insulation problems become visible — and when they matter most. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, landlords are legally responsible for damp and mould that arises from structural defects or inadequate ventilation (gov.uk, 2024). The Renters’ Rights strengthens tenants’ ability to pursue landlords over hazardous conditions, including damp and mould — so this is not an area to leave unaddressed (gov.uk, 2025).
Before winter, test extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, seal any gaps or cracks in external walls and around window frames, and inspect any known damp patches to understand whether the cause has been resolved. If the property has cavity walls, check whether they have been insulated — this protects the structure and helps meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards that apply to privately rented properties.
Properties in The Wirral, particularly older Victorian and Edwardian terraces, can be prone to penetrating damp on exposed elevations. If your property faces west or north-west, it is worth paying particular attention to the external render and pointing before the weather turns.
5. Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Winter is statistically the busiest season for house fires, and the legal requirements for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in rental properties are clear. Landlords in England must install a working smoke alarm on every storey of the property and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid-fuel appliance (gov.uk, 2024). Since October 2022, carbon monoxide alarms have also been required in rooms with gas appliances.
Test every alarm before winter. Replace any that fail. Keep a record of the test date. It takes ten minutes and, in the event of an incident, it could be the difference between a near-miss and a tragedy.
Getting the Timing Right
The single most useful thing a landlord can do is act early. Book the boiler service early October and you will have the pick of available engineers at competitive rates. Wait until November and you will be competing with every other landlord who left it too late. The same logic applies to roofers, gutter cleaners, and plumbers: demand peaks in winter, and so do call-out charges.
A straightforward pre-winter checklist looks like this:
- Annual gas safety check completed and certificate issued
- Boiler serviced, radiators bled, TRVs tested
- Exposed pipework lagged, stopcock location confirmed with tenant
- Gutters cleared and roof visually inspected
- Extractor fans tested, damp patches investigated and resolved
- Smoke alarms tested on every storey
- Carbon monoxide alarm in place and tested in all relevant rooms
None of these checks requires significant expenditure. Together, they significantly reduce the risk of emergency call-outs, tenant disputes, and the kind of winter damage that can run into thousands of pounds to put right.
If you own rental property on the Wirral and would like to understand what your property could achieve in the current market, book an appraisal with our lettings team. For anything else — whether it’s guidance on your obligations as a landlord or support with managing your portfolio — contact us and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does a landlord need to service the boiler? Landlords in England are legally required to have gas appliances, including boilers, serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer at least once every twelve months. The gas safety certificate must be provided to tenants within 28 days of issue. Autumn is the recommended time to book this in, before peak winter demand.
Are landlords legally responsible for damp and mould in a rental property? Yes. Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, landlords are legally responsible for damp and mould that results from structural defects or inadequate ventilation. Tenants can take landlords to court if a property is found to be unfit for habitation.
Where are carbon monoxide alarms required in a rental property? Since October 2022, landlords in England must install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a gas appliance, including a boiler, as well as in rooms with solid-fuel appliances such as wood-burning stoves. Alarms must be in working order at the start of each new tenancy.
What is the legal minimum energy efficiency standard for rental properties? Private rented properties in England and Wales must currently meet a minimum EPC rating of E before they can be let. The government has signalled its intention to raise this to C for new tenancies, though the implementation timeline has not yet been confirmed. Landlords should check their property’s current EPC rating and plan any improvement works accordingly.
What should a landlord tell tenants before winter? Landlords should ensure tenants know where the stopcock is located so they can isolate the water supply quickly if a pipe bursts. Tenants should also be advised to maintain a background temperature of at least 13°C when the property is unoccupied, to prevent frozen pipes. Providing this information in writing at the start of winter is good practice.
