Student House Maintenance: What Landlords Should Provide

Exeter's student rental market is significant. But student properties need specific approaches to maintenance - and there are legal requirements landlords must meet.

Legal Requirements

Structure and Exterior

You must maintain:

• Roof and guttering
• External walls and windows
• External doors
• Drains and external pipes

What this means: Any issue with the building envelope is your responsibility, regardless of what the tenancy agreement says.

Services

You must maintain:

• Gas installations and appliances you've provided
• Electrical wiring (and appliances you supply)
• Water and sanitation
• Heating and hot water

Safety Certificates

Required:

• Gas Safety Certificate (annual)
• EICR (5-yearly, or on change of tenant)
• Smoke alarms on each floor (tested at start of tenancy)
• CO alarm if there's a gas appliance

HMO Requirements

Most student houses are HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation). Additional requirements:

If 5+ occupants from 2+ households:

• HMO licence required
• Fire doors to kitchens and bedrooms
• Emergency lighting
• Fire risk assessment
• Minimum room sizes

Council standards (Exeter):

• Kitchen facilities ratio to occupants
• Bathroom facilities ratio
• Adequate heating
• Suitable refuse storage

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Start of Tenancy

Before Students Arrive

Professional clean: Full property clean including carpets, oven, bathrooms.

Safety checks:

• All smoke alarms working
• CO alarms working
• Fire doors closing properly
• Emergency lighting working (HMO)
• Window restrictors on upper floors

Functionality check:

• All appliances working
• Hot water and heating
• All windows opening and locking
• All doors opening and closing
• Lights and sockets

Documentation:

• Inventory with photographs
• Meter readings
• How-to guides for appliances
• Emergency numbers
• Waste collection day info

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Common Student House Issues

What You'll Get Calls About

Issue	Frequency	Usually
Blocked drains	Common	Tenant responsibility to try first
Heating not working	Very common	Your responsibility
No hot water	Very common	Your responsibility
Mould	Common	Depends on cause
Dripping taps	Common	Your responsibility
Pest issues	Occasional	Usually your responsibility
Lost keys	Frequent	Tenant cost

Why Students Are Different

They often:

• Don't report problems early
• Don't know what's normal vs broken
• Aren't confident calling landlords
• Have parents calling on their behalf
• Leave for extended periods (Christmas, Easter, summer)

Your approach should be:

• Responsive (problems escalate if ignored)
• Clear about who to contact
• Regular inspections (every 3-6 months)
• Proactive about common issues

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Seasonal Maintenance

September (Start of Term)

• Full inspection
• Check heating before it's needed
• Bleed radiators
• Test smoke alarms
• Clean gutters

December (Before Christmas Break)

• Heating check before empty period
• Advise on frost protection
• Emergency contact provided
• Check smoke alarms

March/April (Easter)

• Check for damp issues after winter
• Exterior inspection
• Gutter check
• Garden maintenance if applicable

June (End of Term)

• Pre-end inspection
• List repairs needed for summer
• Schedule maintenance works
• Deep clean after move-out

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Prevention vs Reaction

Cheaper to Prevent

Issue	Reactive Cost	Preventive Cost
Blocked drain	£80-150 callout	£0 (clear guidance on what not to flush)
Boiler breakdown	£200-600	£80-120 annual service
Damp complaints	Ongoing hassle	£100-200 improve ventilation
Pest infestation	£150-400	£0-50 seal gaps, remove attractants

Student-Specific Prevention

Provide clear guidance on:

• Not flushing wipes, sanitary products, food
• Using extractor fans
• Opening windows to prevent damp
• Reporting problems early
• Heating and thermostat use

Consider:

• Laminated instruction cards in key locations
• WhatsApp group for easy reporting
• Regular check-ins first term

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HMO Fire Safety

Required in Licensed HMOs

Fire doors:

• 30-minute fire doors to kitchens and bedrooms
• Self-closing devices
• Correct gap at bottom
• Intumescent strips and smoke seals

Detection:

• Interlinked smoke alarms
• Heat detector in kitchen
• CO detector if gas appliances

Emergency lighting:

• Battery backup
• Illuminates escape routes
• Regular testing required

Signs:

• Fire action notices
• Fire door keep shut signs
• Exit signs if needed

Maintenance Requirements

• Monthly visual checks
• Quarterly functional tests
• Annual professional check
• All recorded in fire log

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Managing Student Repairs

What Works

Clear reporting channel:

• Single email or number
• Response within 24 hours
• Emergency number for urgent

Quick response:

• Students won't chase (they'll just be annoyed)
• Parents might chase (more awkward)
• Small issues become big issues

Scheduled access:

• Agree maintenance windows
• Communicate clearly
• Confirm appointments

Cost Control

Trusted handyman:

• Consistent pricing
• Know the property
• Quick response
• Reliable quality

Bulk agreements:

• Multiple properties = better rates
• Scheduled maintenance rounds
• Reduced callout costs

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End of Tenancy

Common Issues to Address

Student wear and tear:

• Carpet stains
• Wall marks (Blu-Tack, posters)
• Chipped paint
• Worn flooring
• Damaged blinds

Not student wear and tear:

• Structural damage
• Broken appliances
• Missing items
• Unreported water damage

Turnaround Time

Students often have fixed move dates. You may have only 1-2 weeks between academic years.

Plan ahead:

• Schedule maintenance during exam period (with notice)
• Book cleaners early
• Have contractors on standby
• Know what can wait

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What I Can Help With

Regular Maintenance

• Routine inspections
• Minor repairs and maintenance
• Pre-term preparation
• Between-tenant turnover

Emergency Response

• Available for genuine emergencies
• Quick response times
• Know Exeter student properties

Bulk Rates

For landlords with multiple properties:

• Scheduled rounds
• Reduced per-property costs
• Priority response

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Got student properties in Exeter? I work with landlords on routine maintenance, emergency repairs, and turnover preparation. Reliable, reasonably priced, knows the student market. Call 01392 964094 or get a quote.