When winning the lottery is no substitute for good maintenance!

Unless you’re in the business, you’ll be forgiven if the words ‘property maintenance’ leave you with a level of excitement equal only to that of discovering winning the lottery was but a dream!

But while winning the lottery may be something that only happens in dreams, it is within your power to enhance and protect what is probably your greatest investment – your home – and you are legally required to get some plant and equipment checked regularly.

For a free copy of our Engineering & Inspection guide, please email your name and address to info@deacon.co.uk

Meanwhile, now might be a good time to check your records and see when you last had an inspection.

Lifts:  If your property has a lift make sure the runway track is checked. This is often overlooked and if faulty the lift could list, causing extensive damage and harming anyone inside. If you have any doubts regarding your lift you can book an inspection independently of your insurance cover through Deacon.

Drains and roofs: Deacon’s claims team has first-hand experience of what can go wrong when drains are unchecked. It can lead to serious blockages and significant costs to put right. Like any home, blocks of flats are not immune from the risk of damage caused by trees.  It’s worth making sure your gutters are free from leaves and inspect the roof regularly, especially if you have a flat roof, to make sure leaves aren’t building up.

Trees: If you have trees within your boundary, or if a neighbour’s trees are close to your property, it’s worth checking your buildings insurance policy to see what it covers under trees. Investing in a tree surgeon to prepare a report on larger specimens can save costs in the long run. For example, if a tree falls and causes damage, while your block policy will most likely cover the cost of damage to your own and third party property, your insurer may want to see an inspection report before covering the cost of removing the fallen tree.  This can run into thousands of pounds so it’s worth knowing who will pick up the tab if the worst happens.

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The sole purpose of this article is to provide guidance on the issues covered. This article is not intended to give legal advice, and, accordingly, it should not be relied upon. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and/or market practice in this area. We make no claims as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained herein or in the links which were live at the date of publication. You should not act upon (or should refrain from acting upon) information in this publication without first seeking specific legal and/or specialist advice. Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited trading as Deacon accepts no liability for any inaccuracy, omission or mistake in this publication, nor will we be responsible for any loss which may be suffered as a result of any person relying on the information contained herein.