Batten down the hatches: water leaks most common property emergency

Leaks and water-based issues are more likely in rental properties than any other type of emergency, according to data we gathered from over 170,000 properties for our Repairs and Maintenance in UK Lettings Report.

23,264 issues were reported in this category using Fixflo in 2022, making leaks more than four and a half times more likely to happen than the next most frequent type of emergency, alarms and smoke detectors.

5,130 issues with alarms were reported in the same period, with the most common fault type relating to supply of power. Agents following best practices would treat these as emergencies not because the alarms themselves were hazards, but because they could lead to disasters if left alone for even a few hours.

Maintenance budgets

We believe that combining these learnings with data on the average cost of repairs could help landlords to budget effectively for the months ahead.

Insurance provider Towergate found that the average UK landlord spends £1088.88 a year on maintaining and repairing their rental properties, with £535—over half—of this spent fixing leak-related issues.

We urge agents to prepare maintenance budgets with their landlords based on this data, and perhaps even consider carrying out planned preventative maintenance (PPM) to areas of their properties that may be most vulnerable to leaks or water damage. Landlords should also encourage their tenants to check their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms once a month to ensure they are working correctly and be ready to respond quickly should maintenance be required.

With our data demonstrating that leaks and water-based issues are the most common emergency reported by tenants, a robust process for dealing with emergency issues quickly and promptly is vital to keep occupiers safe and maintain property value.

Surge in waiting times

Our report also highlights that the UK’s private rental sector is grappling with a surge in waiting times for contractor appointments.

There is a significant distinction in response times between emergency and non-emergency repair requests. Emergency issues receive swift attention, underscoring the industry's commitment to tenant safety. Conversely, non-emergency repairs may take longer, but they are managed effectively through improved communication and streamlined processes.

The average time from the initial issue report to action being taken is just four days. Agents proactively reach out to tenants within two days, indicating prompt communication, and assignments to contractors typically occur within four days, showcasing efficient internal workflows.

Challenging circumstances

A pressing challenge faced by the industry is the scarcity of contractors, leading to a notable increase in the time required to book appointments, which rose by nearly 15% between 2021 and 2022.

However, once appointments are secured, a positive trend emerges. During the same period, job completion times improved by 8%, indicating contractors' enhanced efficiency despite challenging circumstances.

The key takeaway from our analysis is that, despite the challenges, the lettings industry is adapting and evolving. Professionals in the field are working collaboratively to ensure tenant satisfaction and efficient issue resolution, demonstrating their dedication to the well-being of tenants and landlords alike.

You can download a copy of Fixflo’s State of the Industry report here.