Water Hygiene

Waterborne diseases might appear to be a thing of the past, but the truth is there is a very real danger of contamination even by today’s standards. One of the main responsibilities of the landlord is to provide the facilities for clean water and it’s one that can easily be taken for granted. Though most properties these days automatically provide hygienic water outlets, there are some things to be wary of.

No Water is an Emergency

It’s frustrating to get calls from tenants who claim to have an ‘emergency’ situation on their hands, only to find that whatever problem that has arisen could very well have waited until the morning. However, tenants who have no running water have every right to complain and it does need to be sorted out. You may want to divert their issue to the water board, but often it’s best to just call out a plumber.

Limescale, Blockages and Cleanliness

It’s important to regularly maintain taps and ensure they don’t become clogged up with limescale. A simple wipe over with a damp cloth should do the trick, but harder blockages may need some limescale remover. Run the tap thoroughly after using any product to clean it – the solution may be worse than the problem in some cases.

Unused Systems

One of the main causes of contamination for landlords is stale and unused water. If your property is empty for any period that might warrant you needing unoccupied property insurance, you need to ensure that the taps are run for a few minutes to expel any potentially harmful water. This applies, too, to hot water pipes, so make sure your tenants are informed if this is the case.
Problems with water supplies aren’t that common, but it’s too easy for landlords to assume that all will be well if you just switch the tap. You need to be on the end of the phone for your tenants if they have a faulty water supply and you should expect a call, and make sure that anything supply that goes unused for some time is allowed to run clean before use.