According to a recent study, it has been revealed that landlords have an average tenure of 109.2 months or just over nine years for their buy-to-let properties. During this time, landlords need to carry out a staggering 72 repairs on their property, costing an average of £34,314. This includes everything from household pests to painting and decorating.

The study has found that the most expensive repair that landlords will have to undertake is roof repair. This will cost landlords a whopping £3,494 over six occurrences during the property’s ownership. Additionally, the second-largest cost for landlords is white goods replacement or repair at £3,231.

When it comes to the persistent problems for landlords, household pests are the most common issue. This requires pest control to be done up to eight times, costing landlords £2,940. Meanwhile, mould and damp require maintenance an average of seven times, at a cost of £2,752.

Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves, has said that the long-term cost of being a landlord is not something that can be ignored. He suggests that anyone thinking of investing in buy-to-let property needs to be aware of how ongoing outgoings will affect the overall profitability of their investment.

However, ensuring that maintenance issues are always dealt with promptly can be much more affordable than letting them get out of control. This is especially important since high-quality property reduces tenant turnover and, therefore, minimizes void periods.

Over the course of the ownership lifespan, these costs do little to damage the great returns of property investment. But would-be landlords must make sure they have enough cash flow available to cover maintenance jobs as and when they arise while being safe in the knowledge that, over time, those costs will be recouped.

The good news is that while some maintenance costs, such as roofing repairs, are amongst the most expensive, they are also the least frequent. These costs can be mitigated with the right investment. For example, those who purchase new, off-plan properties won't have such worries for at least five years, which helps minimize expenses.

When it comes to purchasing a flat, any roofing repairs are the responsibility of the whole building, which also helps keep costs down. Additionally, pest control issues are often dealt with by the block as a whole. This helps to ease the burden of landlords and reduce the overall costs of owning a buy-to-let property.