Why regular property maintenance can save you on insurance claims

The better condition your property is in, the less impact adverse weather has on it. Conversely, a property that has not been well maintained is likely to suffer greater damage over time, particularly if it is not wind and watertight.

So it’s understandable that insurers include conditions in their policies requiring landlords (and owner-occupiers) to take ‘reasonable precautions’ to maintain premises in a good state of repair and prevent or minimise damage and loss. Insurance policies are there to provide financial cover for unexpected, sudden events, not fix maintenance issues that develop over time.

In practice, this means that if you made a claim for damage – e.g. after a storm – and it could be proved that the level of damage was either partly or entirely due to the property not having been maintained in a good enough condition, your claim could be rejected, or the amount of the payout significantly reduced.

Of course, as a landlord, you have a legal duty to keep your tenant’s home in a good condition and make appropriate repairs as quickly as possible, plus maintenance helps protect the capital value of your financial asset. A third reason for staying on top of property maintenance is so that claims are more likely to be accepted.

Some examples of scenarios where a claim might not be successful:

Scenario 1

Incident: A pipe bursts in the winter, flooding the ground floor.

Claim made for: New carpets on the ground floor, some new furniture, repairs to décor and temporary accommodation for tenants while the work is completed.

Issues found: Pipes were corroded and not properly lagged, and tenants had gone away for a few days during sub-zero temperatures without leaving any heating on.

Outcome: Steps were not taken to mitigate any of the risks, so it’s possible that the claim may be rejected entirely.

Scenario 2

Incident: During a heavy storm, water leaks through the walls of a bedroom and some external render is dislodged.

Claim made for: Redecoration, repairs to the wall and temporary lodgings for the tenant.

Issues found: Guttering was old and had clearly been blocked and cracked for some time, resulting in water damage to the render and brickwork behind.

Outcome: The insurer states poor maintenance of the guttering resulted in the damage, which could have been avoided through regular inspections and repairs. The claim may be rejected.

Scenario 3

Incident: Cracks and significant damp patches appear in the living room wall.

Claim made for: Repairs to the wall, redecoration and new carpet.

Issues found: Cracks caused by roots of large shrubs growing too close to the outside wall, which had been affecting the brickwork for some time and allowing water to penetrate.

Outcome: Insurer rejects the claim due to lack of proper garden maintenance and insufficient attention to detail in property inspections.

Here are the top 5 maintenance checks to make to help ensure your property remains in good condition and any claim for damage has the best chance of being successful:

1. Check guttering and drains for damage regularly and clear out periodically, particularly during and at the end of autumn.
2. Carry out a full property inspection, or ask your agent to after major storms, paying particular attention to roof tiles.
3. Inspect the interior periodically (for example every 6-12 months), or ensure your agent checks for any signs of damp and mould on the walls.
4. Consider having the heating system serviced ahead of winter to help ensure the boiler and all pipework is in good condition.
5. Even if the tenant is responsible for looking after the garden ongoing, landlords remain responsible for the overall condition of the property. Regular pruning of shrubs and trees can help prevent damage where growth is close to walls.

You might also be interested in our separate article, ‘Top 5 ways to reduce insurance claims’.

Policies may vary and we encourage landlords to check the details of their specific policy and how claims are handled.

Details considered true at the time of publication.

Bode Insurance Solutions Limited is registered in England (Company no 03101637) Registered Address: Building 1, Meadows Business Park, Blackwater, Camberley GU17 9AB.
Bode Insurance Solutions Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference 313541.

You may check this on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA’s website https://register.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on 0800 111 6768.