Being a student landlord can be an attractive proposition especially in an area with a high student population which has the potential for strong demand and high rental yields, but it is important that landlords are aware of potential fire hazards in rented properties and share these concerns with their tenants.
According to Total Landlord Insurance, the most common causes of fire related claims are cigarettes, candles, appliances left on, overuse of extension leads, deep fat fryers and portable heaters.
With thousands of students across the country having just started the new academic year, the insurance provider has issued the following list of precautions that landlords should enforce and students should take note of to reduce the risk of fire:
- Smoke outside the property
- Avoid lighting candles
- Check that sockets are not overloaded
- Do not use electric heaters for drying clothes or towels and keep flammable materials like oven mitts and wooden utensils away from cooking areas and heaters.
- Keep escape routes clear and do not prop fire doors open
- Unplug all appliances when not in use, do not just switch off – particularly phone chargers and hair straighteners
- Ensure there is a fire blanket in the kitchen
- Regularly check smoke alarms are working
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