Planned maintenance for villages and rental homes

What to put on the schedule

• Roofs, gutters and downpipesWashing and cleaning, more often near the coast or under trees. Many roofing warranties need regular washing to stay valid.
• Heat pumps and ventilationFilter cleans and servicing, so they keep working well and their warranties stay valid.
• Exterior joinery and claddingWashing aluminium joinery and cladding helps stop corrosion and staining, especially in coastal areas.
• Smoke alarms and safety itemsTesting and replacing batteries or units when they're due.
• Decks, paths and handrailsChecks for wear, rot and slip hazards.

How often?

Start with the manufacturers' recommendations in each product's warranty or care guide, then adjust for the site: coastal and geothermal areas usually need more frequent washing and checks. Write the frequency down for each item so it doesn't depend on someone remembering.

For rental homes, the Healthy Homes Standards set minimums for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and draughts, so keep the items that support them on the schedule too.

Making sure it gets done

• A reminder before each item is dueFar enough ahead to book the trade.
• One tap to raise the jobSo a reminder turns into a booked job, not another email.
• A record when it's doneDate, who did it, and photos, kept with the home. Useful for warranties and for showing residents or owners the work was done.

How DMSW helps

DMSW keeps each project's or village's maintenance schedule, reminds the right people before each item is due, lets them ask for a quote in one tap, and records each item when it's done. Builders can start a new development's schedule from the products in its construction documents.

This guide is general information. Check product warranties and manufacturers' instructions for each building.