The latest data released by VeriSmart has found that thousands of landlords are failing to address category 1 household hazards within their rental properties.
The combined lettings inventory and property compliance firm conducted over 60,000 property inspections and reports on rental properties within the buy-to-let sector, with 4,521 of these resulting in at least one Housing Health & Safety Rating Assessment (HHSRS) per inspection with the following common issues the most prevalent.
1: Smoke detectors - worryingly, 40% of all health and safety assessments flagged either a missing or non-functional smoke detector.
2: Stairs - 26% of assessments noted a danger of falling on stairs and between or on separate levels of a house.
3: Electrical issues - Electrical issues accounted for 11% of all hazards flagged during health and safety assessments.
4: Carbon monoxide - 7% of assessments found a lack of a working carbon monoxide detector.
5: Damp and Mould - Damp and mould were flagged as a risk in 4% of properties.
6: Water - Uncovered ponds or swimming pools posed a hazard in 2% of all properties.
7: Structural integrity - The threat of structural collapse or falling elements was also an issue in 2% of all properties.
8: Fire hazards - (1%), excess cold (0.6%) and domestic hygiene (0.6%) were also an issue in a small proportion of properties.
Using a professional letting agent to let and manage your property will ensure that all safety requirements are met and provide peace of mind to both tenant and landlord.
