0121 550 4151Hi folks,
As we are approaching the Christmas Period, we thought it would be useful to let you know our opening hours and information you may need to make Christmas in your rental home as smooth as possible when we are closed.
Our offices we will closed from Tuesday 23rd December 2025 at 12.30. We will reopen on the Friday 2nd of January 2026.
WINTER HINTS AND TIPS FOR YOUR RENTAL HOME
The last couple of winters in the UK have been harsh and they have brought with them a whole load of potential problems with our homes.
If there is a problem with your rental home, we and your landlord will endeavour to solve the problem as quickly as possible but as we all know things tend to go wrong at the most inconvenient times.
Sometimes a few small preventative measures can make the difference between putting your feet up in a warm room in front of the TV or watching the icicles form on the inside of the window as you wait for the plumber to arrive.
Below, we have put together a few basic hints and tips gathered from local plumbers for if the temperature is going below freezing:
Locate your main shut off stop valve and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. If there is a leak from a pipe you will need to shut off the water from here. Also make yourself aware of the location of the water board shut off valve in the street outside just in case you may need to shut it off there as well.
If you are going to be away from the property for an extended period of time, such as at Christmas for example, put your heating on constant and turn it to 15 degrees C so the boiler will work as a frost stat for you and prevent frost damage (this is a tenancy requirement) If you are unable to do this for any reason turn off the water supply at the main shut off stop valve and drain any excess water from the pipes through opening and closing the taps.
Check your boiler. The maintenance of the boiler is the responsibility of your landlord, but it is you that have to wait in the cold for the plumber so don’t wait for it to stop, check it occasionally. Common signs for a stressed boiler are:
* Radiators hot at the top but cool at the bottom
* Strange or abnormal noises coming from the boiler
* Boiler is coming on later than it should (late firing)
* Leaks from valves within the boiler, airing cupboard or water tanks
Check your radiators regularly, especially if the system is older. If they are cold at the top and hot at the bottom, bleed the air out of them with a radiator bleed valve key available at any DIY or plumbing store.
Remove and drain all outside hoses and any outside toilets should be shut off and emptied if possible.
Guttering. This has become a big problem when a lot of snow has fallen and then frozen. Water that has frozen in the gutter and starting to thaw can penetrate the house and cause damage. Check the gutters for blockages from surrounding foliage or debris falling from the roof. Remember, although the gutters are the Landlords responsibility, general day to day upkeep of the house, and this includes things like the gutters, is your responsibility to keep clean and open during the tenancy.
External appliances. If you have a washing machine in the garage our outhouse, we strongly recommend that these aren’t used at night when the temperature drops or when the temperature is below freezing.
Condensation pipe
During cold weather the condensation in this pipe may freeze and cause a blockage causing the condensate to back up into the boiler and cause a shutdown.
Condensate pipe emerging from the external wall.
How to defrost the pipe
If you suspect that your boiler condensate pipe has frozen, following steps should help you get things back to normal quickly. Remember, if you don’t feel competent to follow this guidance then you should contact an expert boiler engineer for help.
Confirm the condensate pipe is frozen
Depending on the make of your boiler, a frozen condensate pipe may be indicated by a ‘fault code’ or warning light on the boiler’s display. Gurgling or bubbling sounds coming from the boiler, or the condensate pipe are another sign that the condensate pipe has frozen.
Locate the blockage
The pipe is probably frozen at its most exposed point. This may be the open end of the pipe, or at a bend or elbow. Running your hands over the pipe until you find a section that feels colder than the rest should help you identify the blockage quickly.
Thaw the pipe
Using a jug or watering can, pour warm water along the length of the pipe, repeating the process until the pipe has thawed (don’t use boiling water as this can crack or damage the pipe). Alternatively, you can use a hot water bottle or a heat pack to slowly defrost the pipe.
Restart your boiler
Once the frozen section has been melted and cleared, check your boiler manual for instructions on how to reset the boiler correctly. Your boiler should now restart correctly. If your boiler doesn’t restart you will need to call out a qualified boiler engineer.