Landlords! One of your most pressing responsibilities is making sure your property is properly maintained. However, sometimes the inherent awkward business relationship a landlord and a tenant can sometimes develop can get in the way of making sure all your tenant’s needs are met. Sometimes your tenant might be nervous to reach out to you about maintenance concerns for various reasons.
However, maintenance issues not only affect the quality of life of your tenant but the continued success of your property now and in the future! Not frequently checking for maintenance concerns, even if it’s awkward to find a time to visit your rental properties, can not only cause a grift in your tenants and your relationship but also property damage! All that taken into account, here are 5 maintenance issues you should be frequently checking for:
1. Mold
This one is first because it often sneaks up on both you and your tenant. Mold damages your property and is hazardous to the health of you and your tenant, and it stinks! It’s important to understand that mold growth is not always the fault of your tenant, and they often won’t notice it until it starts to smell. This means it’s most likely already a monstrous problem for both of you! Frequently make time with your tenants to enter their residence and check for mold in any areas that might be prone to moisture, like the shower!
2. Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
This might be one of the most important items to check frequently. That’s because if these devices malfunction it can be a safety hazard. Also when these little buggers need maintenance, the shrill shrieking sound they make is enough to drive anyone to a DIY solution. So, if you’d like to keep your tenants safe, and keep them from knocking the smoke detector off the ceiling and chucking it out the window, keep this on your list! Check that they’re working correctly and have fully charged batteries.
3. Hot Water
Nothing ruins your day like really needing a shower and having the hot water run out too early, except for maybe when you’re running late and the shower is taking an eternity to heat up. Either way, ample access to a liberal supply of hot water is necessary to keep the relationship between you and your tenants amicable. Consistently make sure that the water heaters are in working order before you have a teeth-chattering confrontation!
4. Pests
As the weather changes throughout the year, insects and small animals will inevitably try to wriggle their way onto your property and become your tenant’s newest roommate (without even signing a lease.) Again, it’s important to understand as a landlord that pests aren’t always the fault of a tenant. Someone can have the most sparkling clean and tidy home and a rat would still rather be there than out in the cold. Contact your tenant and make a plan for consistent pest prevention.
5. Small annoyances
A squeaky door, a drawer that doesn’t sit right, a dryer with a broken belt that screams like a teenage girl in a horror film. All these issues seem small. They’re probably small enough for a tenant to not feel the need to reach out to you about them. However, these kinds of small annoyances are what define the time a tenant lives on your property. The more content and at home your tenant feels the easier life is for you. Especially if your tenant is hesitant to reach out to you, asking them if they have any small maintenance concerns like this will make them so much more comfortable with you.
