Whether you are a first-time landlord or an experienced property manager, it is important to be proactive when dealing with maintenance issues at your rental property. Unfortunately, repairs seem to happen at the most inopportune moments.
Ongoing, regular property maintenance and apartment inspections can help landlords prepare for upcoming maintenance work and hire handymen and maintenance service professionals to deal with small issues before they become large problems.
Below are 10 maintenance tips for your rental property:
1.Preventive maintenance
Performing preventive maintenance on your investment properties will keep you from paying costly utilities, damage repairs, and renovations.
The yearly maintenance expense should be about 1.5 times the monthly-required rent amount. However, the estimate will always vary depending on the age and condition of the home. This amount must cover the maintenance costs of your rental property throughout the tenant’s lease time.
2. Keep Door and Window Locks Secure
In many states, adequate security measures are part of a landlord’s maintenance responsibilities. the doors and windows must lock In addition, make sure windows close completely and all home security systems are in working order. When signing new tenants, it is your responsibility to change the locks.
3. Exterminate Regularly
Even when you do not currently have insect or rodent problems, you must always exterminate the rental property on a regular basis. No matter how clean the property is, insects and critters can find their way in.
It is possible for you to exterminate your rental property on your own. However, the task should be left to professionals in case you want to insure results.
Regular extermination can cost a lot, but the preventative measures are much cheaper as compared to losing both the current as well as prospective tenants due to pest issues.
4. Check for Water Damage and Leaks
Once a year, or usually after heavy rains, after the snow and ice has started melting or during hot and humid days when the pipes tend to sweat.
Always check for the soft spots on ceiling, boilers, and the water heater. You should look out for the signs of water droplets near your toilet, window, and the shower. You should also look under the water sink, boilers, and heater.
It is always important to detect water leakages quite early because they damage ceilings, walls, and even the tenant’s belongings. Detecting leaks will also prevent the formation of dangerous molds, which can be awfully expensive to remove.
5. Maintain Heating and Cooling Systems
You should always change filters in the air conditioning and heating units at least two times a year. The dirty filters usually increase the utility bills by making the system work harder.
Routinely replacing the filter will help to prevent the air duct from contamination. When clogged, the ducts will require cleaning which is an expense that you do not need. Even when your tenants pay their utility bills, you should always pay good attention to the matter because high utility bills might cause you to lose the tenants in the long run.
6. Tenant Turnover and Property Maintenance
Tenant turnover needs maintenance costs to bring the unit to a rentable state. The property should be thoroughly cleaned and checked. The yard should also be looked over and the home structure should be examined to ensure that it is in a good state before welcoming a new tenant.
7. Examine Shower Caulking and Grout between Tiles
Taking care of the tile, grout and caulk in your bathroom will prevent you from experiencing hefty repairs down the line.
8. Test All Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Regularly
Survey the devices each month to ensure they are in working order. The hard-wired and battery-operated devices should also be tested. Make a schedule to examine them when you collect rent each month. These devices are lifesavers.
Smoke alarms must be installed within proximity to bedrooms and on each level of a multi-story home.
9. Flush Your Water Heater
You should drain the water heaters at least once a year. This will ensure that you eliminate sediment build up from the municipal water supply, which enters your rental property.
Replacing the system is expensive, so keeping it in good condition will help to avoid unexpected repair costs.
10. Regular Grounds Inspection
When assessing your property’s condition, make sure to take time to thoroughly inspect the exterior and grounds at regular intervals, such as every quarter, or at the changing of each season.
If you notice anything out of the ordinary during your regular inspection, it may require a further inspection or getting expert advice from a maintenance professional.
No matter how many preventative measures you take, basic repairs and cosmetic updates are all part of the landlord gig. Make sure to have a property manager who can help you the take care or this maintenance while you take care of the most important things (and people) to you.
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