As a growing number of tenants seek greater security through longer-term tenancies, residential landlords are being advised to carry out mid-tenancy checks on their properties and their tenants more frequently to avoid the risk of a future dispute.

A number of incidents have recently been brought to the attention of Nick Lyons, Managing Director of inventory management company NoLettingGo, as a result of landlords not accessing their rental properties at all during the tenancies.

He said: “We have had floods that weren’t reported to landlords, numerous cases of sub-letting, and most commonly at this time of year, where tenants are neglecting to air properties, build up of condensation and mildew contributing to long term damage”

“The average length of a tenancy has grown from approximately 13 months to nearly 17 months. On the one hand this is great news for both landlords and tenants, offering each a greater level of security, but on the other, landlords run the risk of becoming complacent, assuming all is in working order at their property, and this can be a costly mistake.”

Landlords should access their properties at every three months but no less than six months, especially during the winter when problems are more likely to arise. Checking on a rental property gives landlords the opportunity to assess its condition, address any potential health and safety issues, and deal with maintenance jobs before they become a major problem as well as check for signs of misuse.

Mr Lyons added: “If there is a problem, such as condensation build up, the landlord can advise the tenant on how to resolve and prevent the issue happening and carry out any necessary repairs. Landlords can’t be held liable for issues caused as a result of tenant misuse.”