Keeping your property safe for your renters is part of your obligations as a landlord. To protect yourself and your tenants, you should focus on ensuring safety standards are followed when it comes to your rental unit.
By thoroughly inspecting your home, you can prevent any costly damage from building up and hopefully safeguard the value of your rental property.
At Taylor Street Property Management, we believe that showing you how to keep your property safe is a great way to keep your renters happy and keep your bottom line healthy. Contact us today if you have any questions!
Operational Heating
Should your tenant approach you to let you know their heating doesn’t work, you need to give it immediate attention. Otherwise, the renter could take legal action against you. But there is also the possibility of a fire when your boiler is not functioning well.
So, if this is a feature of your property you should ensure it is always functional. Heaters need regular inspections to prevent damage.
Functional Plumbing
If your tenant reports a plumbing issue and not resolved right away, the property could flood. This leads to more expenses since water damage can affect furnishings, appliances, furniture, and the solid parts of your property from the floors to the walls.
It’s best to practice preventive maintenance to avoid higher repair costs. Ask your tenants to report leaks and clogged toilets and repair them since you want your renter to live in comfort. Otherwise, turnovers are expected. Your goal should be to secure tenants for the long term, so plumbing issues should be attended to quickly.
Running Electricity
Electrical problems shouldn’t be dismissed, these issues can end up harming your renters or greatly damaging your property. If your unit is older, having a professional repair and upgrade the system as a whole is worthwhile.
It’s also common practice to use GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) outlets to make your rental home even safer for your tenants. It can prevent electric shocks and minimize the likelihood of fires occurring on your property.
Secure the Doors and Windows
Since doors and windows are access points to the property, it should go without saying that they need to be made of tough and sturdy material. Choosing flimsy doors or thin windows can present a security challenge for your property.
Just as important, your tenants must also be able to get out easily from your property when an emergency occurs. There’s no excuse for broken doorknobs or broken window latches. Time is essential so every second that your renter spends trying to get the window or door to open is a precious moment wasted. Mind the condition of the doors and window locks always.
Repair Floorings, Walls, and Ceilings
If you’re renting your unit to families or retirees, then a bad fall can bring them harm. So, a proactive landlord should carefully watch if floors begin to slope or appear uneven.
If you notice wall cracks, bowing walls, stained walls, bubbling paint, or peeling wallpaper, these are indicative of foundation issues and water damage or negligent tenant damage. It’s best to contact a foundation expert and a good plumber for this.
Install Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
Your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are essential to your property. They must be regularly inspected to ensure they’re in a functional state.
Test your detectors and check on them regularly. They should work effectively when the time comes that occupants need to be alerted. If the smoke detectors fail, the landlord can face a lawsuit for neglecting the responsibility of keeping a smoke detector in proper working order.
Maintain Appliances
As wear and tear naturally happens, you should check the functionality of each appliance you own. You want to ensure that they don’t overheat or cause damage to renters. If you know that an appliance is old, it’s time to consider replacing it.
If an item is broken or not functioning fully, then sending it for repairs is a good decision. When purchasing appliances, always prioritize quality over price, as this helps you lower risks.
Paint Safety
Lead paint disclosures are required by the landlord tenant laws and need to be clear in leasing agreements. Properties constructed prior to 1978 normally have lead paint that can be toxic to the residents in a rental.
Have your paint checked by experts if you have an old home to find the right solution. Safety must always come first so ensure your rental does not contain lead that can harm your renters.
Pest Infestation
To reduce tenant complaints, you should be aware if there are rodents, bugs, and termites populating your property. Your renters should always feel comfortable and at ease knowing their belongings are also protected from the damage caused by pests.
If any pest issues are reported, you should book an exterminator to address this issue. You want to do this regularly to wholly end any infestation.
Bottom line
Keeping your rental in perfect order can be time-consuming, you can get in touch with Taylor Property Management. We can provide excellent support when it comes to maintaining superb upkeep of your rental home and taking care of your tenants’ concerns from day to day.
