Home maintenance is one of those things where being proactive costs much less than being reactive. A £15 smoke alarm battery costs considerably less than a house fire. Cleaning gutters in October costs considerably less than damp caused by overflow in February.
This is a practical schedule for UK homes — not exhaustive, but covering the things that actually matter and the ones most people forget until they cause problems.
Monthly
- Test smoke alarms. Press the test button on each one. Takes thirty seconds.
- Test carbon monoxide alarms if you have gas appliances.
- Check under sinks for drips or staining that might indicate a slow leak.
- Run water in any infrequently used taps or showers to prevent stagnant water in the pipes.
Every 3 months
- Check extractor fans are clear and pulling air properly.
- Clean the filter on your cooker hood if it has one.
- Check the seals on your fridge and freezer doors — they should be tight with no cracking.
- Clean the washing machine drawer and run an empty hot wash cycle with a machine cleaner.
Seasonally (spring and autumn)
- Clear gutters of leaves and debris. Blocked gutters cause damp and are one of the most common causes of water damage in UK homes.
- Check the roof for missing or damaged tiles — from the ground or using binoculars. Winter storms and summer heat both cause tile movement.
- Check outside taps before winter to avoid burst pipes. Drain and insulate or turn off the supply if you have them.
- Bleed radiators at the start of heating season if some rooms are slower to warm than others.
- Service the boiler. An annual boiler service keeps it running efficiently and maintains your warranty.
- Check window and door seals for gaps. Draughts and condensation both trace back to failing seals.
Annually
- Get the boiler serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Keep the service record.
- Check smoke alarm expiry dates — most need replacing every 10 years.
- Test any GFCI/RCD sockets or fuse board trip switches.
- Check the loft for signs of damp, condensation or pest activity.
- Check any external woodwork (window frames, fascias, soffits) for rot or paint failure.
- Review your home insurance renewal before it auto-renews. Compare.
Things people forget until they're expensive
- Chimney sweeping. If you have a working fireplace or log burner, annual sweeping prevents chimney fires. A chimney fire costs several thousand pounds and voids most insurance claims if you can't prove regular sweeping.
- Damp-proof course. Check that soil or paving hasn't built up above the DPC line on external walls — usually a couple of courses of brick above ground level.
- Boiler pressure. Check the pressure gauge periodically — it should sit between 1 and 2 bar when cold. Consistently low pressure indicates a leak or a failing component.
- Stop valve location. Know where your main water stop valve is before you need it. It's usually under the kitchen sink or near the water meter. Test that it turns once a year.
Roost's routines feature lets you set recurring reminders for all of this — monthly, quarterly, or annually. Mark them done when complete and both people in the household can see what's been done and what's overdue.
Renting vs owning
If you're renting, most structural maintenance is the landlord's responsibility. But smoke alarm testing, boiler pressure checks, and keeping communal areas clear are reasonable tenant responsibilities. Your landlord is legally required to provide a valid gas safety certificate annually.
If you're a landlord, the list above mostly applies — plus annual gas safety checks (legally required), five-yearly electrical installation reports (EICR), and regular checks of any furniture or appliances provided.