Landlord plumbing maintenance: a practical checklist

Keep a usable property record

Create a short record for each property covering the heating and hot water arrangement, appliance models, isolation points and access contacts. Keep previous repair reports and product information with it. A plumber attending a repeat fault can make better use of the visit if the earlier findings are available instead of a brief message saying that the heating is broken again.

For a flat, distinguish the landlord’s installation from communal systems and the building manager’s responsibilities. Record who can provide access to shared risers or plantrooms. Where a managing agent handles maintenance, make clear who approves spending, contacts the tenant and checks that work is complete. An unanswered authorisation request should not become the reason an active leak continues.

Give tenants a clear reporting route

Tell tenants how to report a leak, loss of hot water, heating failure or blocked waste, including outside ordinary office hours. Ask for the location, when the fault started and whether it is getting worse. A description of affected rooms and fixtures is usually more useful than the tenant being asked to diagnose a component.

Separate immediate hazards from routine maintenance. Water near electrics, a spreading leak or a suspected gas escape requires an appropriate urgent response. Do not ask tenants to remove covers, tighten unknown fittings or interfere with safety devices to save a call-out. They can describe what they see and use ordinary controls safely, but they should not be made responsible for technical investigation.

Use visits to catch developing plumbing faults

With suitable permission and access, routine property visits can identify staining, persistent drips, loose fittings, damaged seals and toilets that keep filling. Record the location and follow up rather than repeatedly noting the same issue. A small visible defect can be inconvenient in its own right and may also reveal a problem that needs a closer inspection.

Look at the history as well as the latest symptom. Repeated valve leaks, frequent pressure loss or recurring drainage blockages should prompt a cause-led investigation. Another temporary repair may be appropriate to restore use, but decide separately whether the pattern justifies planned replacement or more detailed access. Do not describe every recurring fault as unavoidable wear without reviewing the evidence.

• Leaks, stains and signs of persistent moisture.
• Tap, toilet and accessible waste operation.
• Reported hot water and heating performance.
• Previously recommended work still awaiting approval.
• Changes to use, occupancy or access since the last visit.

Separate the gas check from the boiler service

The annual landlord gas safety check and appliance maintenance are different responsibilities. HSE’s landlord guidance explains the check and record requirements. Arrange the relevant check, retain the record and ensure tenants receive it when required. If the boiler also needs servicing, include that explicitly in the booking rather than assuming it follows from a certificate request.

A tenant reporting a new fault after a check still needs a response. File service records and repair findings alongside the safety record, with clear appliance identification. When an agent changes, transfer the history and upcoming dates instead of leaving the new team to infer what was done from invoices.

Keep electrical inspection actions on a separate list

An EICR concerns the electrical installation, not plumbing condition. The current English rented-sector guidance includes private and social housing following changes in 2025. Social landlords should check the transitional requirements and equipment duties in the current guidance, rather than rely on an older private-sector-only checklist.

Record the report date, next inspection requirement and any observations needing action. Assign someone to obtain and retain completion evidence for remedial or investigative work. Filing an unsatisfactory report without following up is not maintenance. If an electrical issue is associated with hot water or heating controls, coordinate the trades while keeping the electrical findings and their resolution identifiable.

Manage water systems during vacancy

A void period changes water use. HSE says landlords must assess and control legionella risks proportionately; a domestic assessment is not automatically a lengthy specialist exercise, and there is no universal legal requirement for a legionella testing certificate. The appropriate controls depend on the actual system and circumstances.

Record the vacancy and put suitable arrangements in place for the water system. Review them when occupancy or the system changes. Tell the contractor about stored water, infrequently used outlets and redundant pipework. Avoid asking tenants to alter cylinder safety controls or temperature settings as a substitute for a proper assessment and agreed control measures.

Plan access and approve the right work

Coordinate access with the tenant and provide the contractor with a working contact. If access fails, document the circumstances and rearrange through the appropriate lawful process. Do not equate possession of a management key with permission to enter whenever convenient.

Ask the repair proposal to distinguish diagnosis, immediate stabilisation, permanent work and reinstatement. If a leak is concealed, establish who can authorise opening a floor or wall and who will restore the finish. Agree any spending limit and what happens if the findings exceed it. Clear instructions protect both the tenant’s use of the property and the landlord’s control of the job.

Close the job, then review recurring costs

After attendance, record what was found, what was done and what remains outstanding. Confirm the tenant knows any temporary limitation and whom to contact if the symptom returns. If another contractor is required, give the follow-on action an owner and a date rather than leaving it in the narrative of a report.

Review the property’s repair history periodically. Several small interventions can justify a planned valve, radiator or pipework replacement, but the decision should be based on condition and recurrence. Use quieter periods or planned refurbishment access where appropriate. Avoid replacing sound installations simply to follow an arbitrary age rule or a generic maintenance package.

Arrange maintenance across London

Loyal Plumbers works with landlords, managing agents and commercial clients across all London boroughs and inside the M25, with 10 active vans and a 24/7 service. For an initial enquiry, provide the property location, current fault or project, access contact and authorisation arrangements.

Mention existing reports and whether you are arranging a single visit or reviewing several properties. The team can arrange how to share supporting records. Keep sensitive tenant information out of a broad portfolio brief unless it is needed to organise the work safely and with the right access.