Make a Start on your Pre-Season Checks whilst things are Quiet

January has passed, bookings are coming in and the February half term is not far away! If you are already letting then now is the time to make sure your property is in the best shape so your guests have a memorable holiday for the right reasons. Here are the areas we at Cornish Traditional Cottages advise you concentrate on first.

Inventory

After a busy season it is inevitable that things will get chipped, lost or have gone walkabouts. Make sure you do a thorough stock check and ensure your crockery, cutlery and cooking equipment are in good condition and in sufficient numbers for your guests. Check your linen and towels, curtains and fabrics and ask yourself would I be happy with the conditions of these? If the answer is “no” then replace them.

Fire Risk Assessment

Do you have a Fire Risk Assessment? Did you know it is a requirement to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment? If the answer is “No”, then you need to get cracking and carry out a risk assessment which is a requirement under the Fire Safety Order 2005. For guidance on the Fire Safety Order 2005 and your responsibilities go to  . If you have a Fire Risk Assessment when did you last review the assessment? The risk assessment needs to be reviewed on a regular basis and we would recommend and annual review as a minimum. Do you have the correct fire equipment and smoke detection systems in your property and is the regularly serviced? Make sure that you have covered off all areas of your assessment.

Electrical Safety

What steps have you taken to ensure that the electrical equipment and wiring in your property is safe for anybody who is either working in or staying in your property? There are two areas you need to consider, Portable Appliances and Main Circuits, both should have a maintenance programme in place. Our recommendation is that you have Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) carried out on all your portable appliances once a year and that your mains wiring has a Electrical Condition report carried out every five years.

Gas Safety

Do you have Gas appliances? If so you need to ensure that you have arranged for a Gas Safety registered engineer to service your gas appliances and central hating boiler and to carry out the annual safety check.

Carbon Monoxide

Ensure that you have working Carbon Monoxide detectors installed in any room which is used partly or wholly as living accommodation which contains any appliance which burns, or is capable of burning, solid fuel, this will cover boilers, cookers (if gas), open fires and woodburners.

Outside Areas

This is a good opportunity to take stock outside and note down areas which will require attention. Pay particular attention to gutters, drains and downpipes, fences and gates, garden paths, patios and steps and your garden furniture. Take a look at the paintwork of your doors and windows and the outside of your property, when were they last painted? Would the current state of the paintwork give you a good first impression? If not then plan to have it refreshed.

This blog was provided by Cornish Tradition Cottages