Early October is when the heating goes on across most of Central and Eastern Europe, and it's also when heating engineers and chimney sweeps start turning people away. If something is going to fail in your rental this winter, the boiler is the likeliest candidate, and the first cold night is when it usually happens.

This checklist is about preventive maintenance and who pays for it. Meter readings and gas bills are in our earlier heating article. The rules differ from country to country, so take the general principles here and check the local rules wherever we point them out.

1. Heating: start now, not at the first cold snap

Book the boiler service. An annual service by a qualified technician is the best protection against a call on a January evening. Book it this week. In many towns the good engineers are fully booked by November.

Some countries make this a legal duty. In the UK, for example, landlords must get an annual gas safety check from a Gas Safe registered engineer and give the tenant a copy of the record within 28 days (NRLA). That is a UK rule. Find out what applies where your property is, because some countries also require periodic boiler checks, and many manufacturers ask for regular servicing to keep the warranty valid.

Check the pressure. On a typical sealed system the gauge usually reads about 1–1.5 bar when the system is cold, but go by the boiler manual. If it keeps dropping, there is a leak somewhere, and that needs a technician, not just topping up.

Bleed the radiators. If a radiator is cold at the top and warm at the bottom, there is air in it. A radiator key costs very little. Afterwards, check the pressure again, because bleeding lowers it.

Frost-proof the pipes. Look for pipes in places that don't get heated: the cellar, the garage, outside walls, an outdoor tap. Insulate exposed pipework. Turn off and drain outdoor taps. Show the tenant where the main water stopcock is. If you only remember one item from this list, make it that one.

Test the thermostat. Replace the batteries in wireless thermostats, check the programme, and make sure the tenant knows how to set it. Many "the heating doesn't work" calls turn out to be a flat battery.

2. Flues and chimneys

Any appliance that burns fuel needs a working flue. In many countries flue inspections are compulsory and done on a fixed schedule.

Hungary as an example: households get chimney sweeping free of charge. Flues serving solid-fuel appliances are inspected every year, and flues serving gas and closed-system appliances every two years (Katasztrófavédelem). In blocks of flats the sweep gives written notice and comes on a scheduled round; for detached houses you have to book an appointment yourself (Pest county disaster management). Whoever lives in the property, which usually means the tenant, must let the sweep in. If a business is registered at the address, the service has to be ordered from a private chimney sweeping firm and paid for.

Other countries organise this very differently. In some places the sweep is a licensed local monopoly; in others you choose your own provider. Check the local rule.

3. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Carbon monoxide has no smell, and poisonings rise every heating season. A CO alarm is inexpensive. Fit one in any room with a gas boiler, a gas water heater or a stove, and put a smoke alarm on every floor.

Whether alarms are compulsory depends on the country. In England, for example, landlords have had to fit a smoke alarm on every storey since 2015, and since 1 October 2022 a CO alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas cookers excluded) (Shelter England). Even where nothing is required, fitting alarms is a cheap, sensible choice. Ask the tenant to press the test button once a month.

4. Outside the property and the building

  • Gutters and downpipes: clear out the leaves. A blocked gutter overflows, the water runs down the wall, and by spring you have damp.
  • Window and door seals: perished seals mean draughts, higher heating bills and condensation. New self-adhesive strips are inexpensive and quick to fit.
  • Ventilation grilles: keep them clear. Gas appliances need them, and tenants sometimes tape them over to stop the draught.
  • Roof and outside walls: a quick look for missing tiles or cracks after the autumn storms.

5. Insurance: check before you need it

Get your building insurance policy out and read it. Does it cover burst pipes and escape of water? Many policies limit cover for frost damage if the property was left empty and unheated, or if the water wasn't turned off. Find out what your insurer expects, such as a minimum temperature or checks while the place is empty, and pass that on to the tenant. Remind tenants that their own belongings are only covered by their own contents insurance.

Who pays for what?

The exact split comes from local law and your lease, but the general pattern is similar in most countries:

Item Usually paid by
Everyday upkeep: bleeding radiators, thermostat batteries, keeping vents clear Tenant
Damage caused by misuse or negligence Tenant
Boiler replacement, major repairs, failures in the building's pipework Landlord
Annual boiler service Grey area: write it into the lease
Chimney sweeping fee (where there is one) Grey area: write it into the lease

Hungary as an example: under the Housing Act (Act LXXVIII of 1993, section 13), unless the parties agree otherwise, the tenant bears the cost of maintaining and renovating the flat's fittings, and the landlord bears the cost of replacing them. Work inside the flat that is needed because the building's pipework fails is the landlord's job (Housing Act on Jogtár). Much of this can be changed by agreement, which is why the lease matters so much.

The practical answer: name the annual service and the sweep fee in the lease. Say who books them, who pays, and that the tenant must give access. One sentence now saves an argument in February. For anything that doesn't fit neatly into the table, check with a local lawyer or your landlords' association.

Keep the paperwork together

After the service and the sweep, you'll have certificates, invoices and inspection records. Keep them where you can find them, because an insurer, a buyer or an authority may ask for them later. In LeasingTrack you can store these documents with the property, and tenants can report a fault from the app, so a dripping radiator gets reported in October rather than in January.

A winter note to send your tenants

Copy this, adapt it to your property, and send it before the first frost:

Winter tips for your home

  • The main water stopcock is: [location]. If a pipe bursts, turn it off first, then call me.
  • Please keep the heating at least on a low setting, even when you're away for a few days. Pipes freeze in unheated rooms.
  • Air the rooms briefly but fully a few times a day rather than leaving a window slightly open. It keeps mould away.
  • Don't cover the ventilation grilles or block the boiler's air supply.
  • Press the test button on the smoke and CO alarms once a month. If one beeps, let me know.
  • The chimney sweep / boiler technician is coming on [date]. Please make sure someone can let them in.
  • If a radiator stays cold, the pressure keeps dropping, or you smell burning, tell me straight away. If you smell gas, leave the property and call the gas emergency number first.

An hour of checks in October costs far less than an emergency plumber on a Sunday in January, and your tenant gets a warm home all winter.