As a property owner, you want to know that your tenant is keeping your Timbergrove rental property clean. At the end of the day, the value of your property depends, in part, on the overall condition. Sad to say, some tenants may not be keeping up with their cleaning and property maintenance. Moreover, if you never check up on them, you may not even know that cleanliness is a real issue until it turns into be a much bigger problem.
Regular property inspections are an important part of your overall property management process. But actually, like lots of other aspects of owning rental properties, some approaches to property inspections are more useful and effective than others. Knowing why inspections are important, how to create and carry out an inspection schedule, and how to talk with your tenant about cleanliness are all factors that winning and the successful property owner should be aware of.
Realizing regular property inspections are important for lots of reasons. It can provide valuable insight into how well your tenant is upholding the terms of the lease and help you catch developing problems early on. Several tenants may have different ideas about what cleanliness is or may not see the dirty house or yard as a need for alarm. They may even feel that the cleanliness of the home is none of your business. But in actuality, nothing could be way off the mark. A dirty house or yard can quickly result in more serious problems, including structural damage, bad odors, pest infestations, and more. Unless these problems are detected and dealt with right away, you could find yourself confronted with expensive repairs beyond what the security deposit will cover.
Given that property inspections are important, it’s important to have an organized approach to having them performed. As a property owner, you have lots of different kinds of inspections in your property management toolbox. The move-in inspection can help you establish a baseline for your property’s condition, helpful if you need to assess wear and tear or property damage later on. Then there are drive-by inspections, which will allow you to drive by your rental property and check for visible issues with the property’s exterior.
The most important inspections, however, are regular inspections for safety and cleanliness in the property’s interior. There are no firm rules regarding the exact number of inspections you must do per year. Some property owners prefer to inspect the property once a year, while others may plan to check the rental house every three or six months. Annual inspections are the most applied by reason as they enable property owners to get a clear sense of the property’s condition without creating substantial difficulty for their tenants.
It’s essential not to inspect the property too often, because your constant intrusions may disturb and dissatisfy your tenant. But if you have uncovered cleanliness problems in your previous inspections, more frequent visits may be necessary until you are fairly convinced that your tenant is keeping the property clean. The same applies if you discover your tenant has an unauthorized pet or that unauthorized people are staying in the house. Regardless of what you discover at the time of your inspection, you should document each visit carefully in photos and writing.
Talking to tenants about cleanliness inspections can turn out to be somewhat difficult, but it doesn’t really need to be. One excellent means to manage your tenant’s expectations about property inspections is to include an inspection schedule in the lease. It’s also relevant to give proper notice before entering the property and ensure that your tenant knows the purpose of your visit. Developing and establishing good communication with your tenant can make your property inspections much easier for everyone, and help you check the property as needed.
If you do have to tell your tenant to clean up the property, it’s best to do so in writing. By bestowing clear requests and a detailed list of tasks for your tenant, you leave no doubt regarding what you want from them. You can further include the photographs you took to be even more persuasive and to create a strong paper trail, should it be necessary.
When used routinely and appropriately, regular property inspections can help you make sure that your tenants are keeping your rental property clean. And, for sure, when your tenants see that you will be caring about things, you give a stronger incentive to your tenant to keep the property tidy.
Need help coming up with a lease, or maybe you’d rather not deal with your tenants at all? Feel free to reach out to Real Property Management Heritage and talk to one of our property managers at 832-449-5263 or contact us online.
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