Holiday season is in full swing, and with so many Britons leaving the country for a summer break abroad, plenty of households will be going unoccupied and empty for weeks at a time.
It’s essential to ensure that all of your domestic appliances are safe, especially before jetting off on your hols, so that you don’t return to any unwelcome surprises – like a hefty utility bill, a broken appliance, or as seen with the tragic events of Grenfell Tower, potentially much worse.
To help, the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) has put together a handy checklist, so that landlords and tenants can rest easy during the holiday months
As a landlord, you may wish to offer the following advice to your tenants during this time, and use the free period to arrange to register any appliances (if you haven’t already done so).
Tenants
- Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical appliances, such as washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, televisions and computers.
- Unplug small devices and chargers, particularly those for mobile phones, laptops, tablets, e-readers and hair straighteners.
- Check that the smoke alarms are all in working order.
- Clear debris such as carrier bags and newspapers from any areas that may prevent appliances from operating, such as the back or sides of a refrigerator.
Landlords
- Register all your domestic appliances at http://www.registermyappliance.co.uk
- Check the repair and recall list at http://www.registermyappliance.org.uk/products/recall-list
- In the rare instance that a fault has been identified in one of your appliances, make sure your tenants know to switch it off before they go.
Taking these steps can make a big difference in preventing any problems and giving both you and your tenants peace of mind during the holiday season.
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