Landlords carrying out their own plumbing, electrical or structural work could put subsequent insurance claims at risk, according to Confused.com.
The warning follows research from the comparison site which found 42% of UK homeowners who had undertaken DIY renovation work had made a mistake.
Those who made mistakes spent an average £270 putting the damage right, while 30% of homeowners who had carried out a major DIY task regretted not employing a professional.
Plumbing emerged as the most regretted DIY job, with 58% of homeowners who had attempted it wishing they had not done so.
LANDLORD DIY
Matthew Harwood, home insurance expert at Confused.com, told Property Soup: “Whilst it may be tempting to DIY home renovations in a rental property, it comes with huge risks, and could leave your home insurance at risk of being invalidated.
“For landlords, DIY repairs and renovations, especially plumbing, electrical or structural work, are something to avoid. If something goes wrong, and it cannot be proven the work was carried out by a qualified professional, the claim could be rejected, leaving landlords out of pocket.
“Landlords have a responsibility to keep tenants safe, and this includes always using qualified contractors to carry out renovations that require skills.”
STRUCTURAL CHANGES
Harwood also warns landlords to inform their insurer about significant alterations to their property.
He says: “It’s also important to remember to declare any structural changes to your insurance provider. More extensive modifications can impact your property value, and may leave it more vulnerable while work is going on. Failing to declare these projects could invalidate your cover.”
Confused.com’s earlier research found 28% of homeowners could not identify which renovation projects required them to notify their insurer.
Harwood adds: “If a tenant carries out major DIY work without telling the landlord, it may breach the tenants contract, and it leaves the landlord’s home insurance at risk.
“If damage occurs from the DIY work, insurers can deny the claim. This can leave the landlord facing liability for repairs, and this cost comes out of pocket.”
