As winter approaches, here are some top tips to protect your property.

Read the signs and prepare for the winter season

Nights getting longer, temperatures dropping, these are a landlord's cue to take early action to avoid winter disasters. Here are some things to address in good time, in order to keep your property safe and your tenants happy.

Clear Gutters of Leaves and Debris

It may seem obvious but this one often gets overlooked, perhaps because it's a perrenial grey-area. Who's responsible - landlord or tenant? Although the landlord is responsible for the structure and integrity of the gutters themselves, you will need to refer to your tenancy agreement to see if it contains a specific clause relating to clearing them. In practice, as landlord you are more likely to care about this issue, given the potential repercussions. The mass of wet leaves and moss can soon overload the fixings, causing damage to the structure of the guttering. This in turn can create damp conditions inside your property. Nevertheless, your tenants do have a responsibility to act in a "tenant-like manner". That's to say, acting in a way any owner-occupier might with regards to upkeep. The solution? Start a conversation (or ask your agent to do this on your behalf), and aim to reach a compromise. Diplomacy is key to a harmonious landlord-tenant relationship.

Get your Boiler Serviced

Disappointingly, recent research found that only half of all landlords knew they were responsible for having an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe engineer. Even if this is something you already do, consider having your boiler serviced at the same time. It will function more efficiently, and last longer. It may even be a condition of any insurance policy you might have. And while thoughts are with plumbing, ask your tenants (or your agent if your property is vacant) to bleed the radiators. It's pointless having a boiler at the top of it's game if the rads aren't converting that into actual heat.

Make Sure Your Roof is in Good Condition

Don't get caught out when the heavy weather arrives. Rain and snow put pressure on your roof, so look out for broken tiles, cracks in the chimney and flashing, and deteriorating pointing and rendering.

Things to do if your property is vacant

• Think about turning off the water supply to the property. If you have external taps, open them to release any water, this allows any that does remain to expand without splitting the pipes.

• Be wary of break-ins. An empty property can be a magnet for burglars, which is a good reason to visit regularly. Hopefully your agent will be conducting viewings during empty periods, which should help. Consider installing an alarm or other visible security features to act as a deterent.