We often see how property owners and property managers make mistakes with property maintenance. To make sure that you don’t do any such mistakes, we thought of sharing a list of Dos and Don’ts with property maintenance.
As a property owner or a property manager, you are responsible for keeping the entire property in its perfect condition. It goes without saying that routine property maintenance will ultimately cut down on operational expenses and downtime. The short-term benefits from delaying property upkeep are swiftly outweighed by substantial subsequent remodeling expenditures.
Although it may seem unimportant, you’d be shocked at how many landlords fail to periodically inspect their homes, which may cause a number of expensive and time-consuming problems. Tenants, for instance, may not always inform you of issues they are having, such as a leaky drain beneath a sink on the property or even a light in the corridor. Sometimes, being able to see possible issues before they worsen is important. The best way to save money and effort is to invest in preventative maintenance up front.
Do make proper inspections of all repairs
Once a repair is done, you will need to carefully inspect it. Then you can make sure whether the repair has been done correctly or not. Any mishaps that can happen as a consequence of carelessness will be a burden for you and might even lower the overall ratings of your home. Therefore, it’s your responsibility to ensure that a task is really done after completion.
As soon as the business or individual you hired is completed, get a thorough report of all of the work they performed, and ensure that any payments you make are supported by a receipt. Most essential, ensure sure the work they made on your property complies with your requests by inspecting it. If you’re not happy, let them know right away so they can, if feasible, make changes right away.
Genuine businesses who are confident with in work they produce would seldom ever demand payment in full or even a significant portion of the total sum before they start working. Avoid businesses who want full payment up ahead, particularly if it’s your first time doing business with them.
Do keep your verbal agreements to minimum
Open lines of contact with your renters are crucial whether you’re a property manager or owner. While speaking with your renters directly on occasion is a good idea, verbal discussions aren’t the best option when agreements and modifications need to be made. Make careful to document any new agreements or modifications in writing that both parties may sign.
You’ll always have an record to refer to if all of your significant communications are in writing. Everything, including seemingly little details like a trash disposal plan modification or a small rent increase, should be communicated in writing, and the renter should always confirm receipt.
A renter should also submit a written complaint if they choose to do so. Additionally, you may create a file for every tenant in which their grievances and continuous follow-ups are recorded. By doing this, you may avoid any issues that might result from misconceptions in the future.
Don’t allow your tenants to take care of the repairs
Refrain from allowing a renter who reports a problem to remedy it themself. You remain the owner of the property even if your renter will only be there for a little time, therefore you should be worried about how it will look in 30 years.
The day you find a new renter is the first day of property upkeep. Your contract with them should include how they may contact you if they have maintenance issues, particularly if they have an urgent issue that they will require you to handle. This should be covered from the beginning.
You don’t want to learn that your renter merely hired a low-cost technician or did the repairs themselves if they have trouble getting in touch with you to solve the property’s concerns. Make it clear from the very first day that tenants should be allowed to
Do get assistance from experts with property maintenance
It ought to be obvious! Hiring experts or specialists is usually a smart choice if you require property maintenance services. Check the website of maintenance firms like City Wide to determine whether they are competent and licensed to do the work you want to employ them for.
Verify the authenticity of their license before examining their level of experience as well as areas of specialization. Perhaps any comments from individuals who have already dealt with them would be helpful.
Working with skilled experts that have a strong track record and dependability will eventually be one of the most important aspects of your property maintenance approach. If you don’t want to wind up spending extra, simply start off by investing in a tried-and-true supplier instead of services that look too inexpensive. For example, if you have a problem with the HVAC system, you will need to get the help of a HVAC specialist. Then you will be able to get the job done without encountering any challenges.
Do plan routine maintenance inspections
Make sure to conduct regular maintenance inspections for your property before anybody might even alert you to an issue. You’ll discover that this method is far less expensive than waiting until anything breaks before fixing it or attempting to manage the risks and expenses related to accidents sustained by renters or guests as a result of a problem with your property.
Final words
Regular property maintenance inspections should be taken into consideration while managing your real estate holdings. You’ll probably wind up with more expensive repairs if you don’t take care of your properties’ maintenance and repair tasks as soon as possible. Regular maintenance may first seem pricey, but if you consider how it might assist avoid significant problems, you’ll really be saving more money.
