One of the responsibilities of rental owners is to ensure that the properties are well-maintained and habitable at all times. Such efforts not only help in saving money that would have gone to endless repairs but also aids in enhancing the aesthetics and perceived value of the assets. Well maintained rental properties tend to attract and retain high quality tenants. If you are struggling with your property’s maintenance, below are tips to get you on top of your game.
7 Important Maintenance Tips
1. Qualify your tenants
The most efficient way to ensure the property remains in a healthy state is to have quality renters who will take good care of it. In fact, if you get such occupants, you might not need to worry about carrying out costly upgrades. On the contrary, landlords who have problematic residents will always end up with worn-out and old-looking properties irrespective of how frequent they conduct the maintenance. For this reason, you should take the time to run background checks on every potential tenant and only admit those who have remarkable referrals from their past or current landlords.
2. Insert a maintenance clause in the lease agreement
Even if you have the perfect tenant who boasts of impressive landlord referrals, it is in your best interest to insert a property maintenance clause in your lease agreement. Through such a clause, rental owners can emphasize to the leaseholder the importance of taking good care of the property, and clarify the property maintenance roles and responsibilities of each party. Once a resident is cognizant of the fact that he or she is liable for any resulting damages, they will proactively take good care of it.
3. Establish a definite property maintenance routine
Having a perfectly maintained property involves a lot of work ranging from inspection, servicing, and repairs. Staying on top of all these can be tasking and intimidating at the same time. However, property owners can effectively keep everything in tiptop condition by breaking down the entire maintenance exercise into small manageable tasks. The good news is that different sections of the house have varying servicing and maintenance requirements. Which means that you can schedule the maintenance into weekly, monthly, semi-annually and annual tasks.
For example, you can schedule your cleaning to be weekly, your window washing to be done semi-annually, and bringing in the outdoor furniture to be done annually. Having this all well organized will help facilitate the process of keeping your rental property well maintained.
4. Contract qualified vendors
To get a well-maintained property, you need maintenance and repair contractors like plumbers, carpenters, landscapers, electricians, roofing specialists, flooring experts, locksmiths, cleaners, or air-conditioning technicians. Irrespective of which maintenance service you want, you should interview and screen each vendor that you want to contract. Only settle for the qualified, licensed, insured, and affordable vendors who can offer the required services in a sound and reliable manner. It is also judicious to hire contractors who provide full-time emergency response services.
5. Use quality supplies
Many rental owners take their time to look for competent property repair and maintenance contractors, only to jeopardize their efforts by giving the technicians inferior quality materials. For instance, a landlord might give an HVAC technician low-quality air filters. Even though the AC units will work correctly for a few weeks, it will soon break down, necessitating endless repairs. Such efforts will be costly to you in the long run. Avoid frequent expenses by using superior quality parts and materials, which will give you the benefits you desire, and extend your property’s life.
6. Act immediately
When it comes to property maintenance, the adage “a stitch in time saves nine” holds true. If you notice a minor defect or flaw on your property, correct it as quickly as possible. Such a swift response can prevent you from incurring massive repair costs. For instance, fixing a missing roof shingle on time can prevent structural damage to ceiling or walls. Similarly, fixing leaking faucets will not only prevent property damage but will also safeguard your renters from incurring hefty water bills.
7. Be proactive
At times being proactive is the best way to ensure a well-maintained property. For instance, instead of waiting until something goes wrong, you can preempt and take preventative measures. For example, you could replace the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors even before they wear out, to prevent malfunction. Or, you could service the HVAC systems to ensure their efficiency just before summer. Other examples include unclogging the guttering and drainpipes before the rainy season, as well as mowing the lawn, pruning the hedges, and cutting overgrown bushes to prevent pest and insect infestations.
If you need additional assistance with your rental property we would be happy to answer any questions you have. You can call us at (208) 377-8889 or send an email to rmainfo@rentalsinboise.com.