When you own a property, you own responsibility. Yes, you have a passive income, but you have the responsibility of inspecting the property and caring for it regularly.
This means you have to conduct regular rental property inspections. But how often does one do this? How do you know if you're inspecting your property enough or too much?
Keep reading to learn about how you can protect your property and your relationship with your tenants by conducting regular inspections.
How Often Do I Inspect?
The frequency of inspections depends on how long the tenant's lease is. For example, if your tenant has a one-year lease, then you should inspect it far before the year has passed. You may conduct either a 6-month inspection or a quarterly inspection where you visit once every three months.
Visit with your tenant before they sign the lease, and tell them how often you will be inspecting the property. Then, the day before you inspect the property, remind your tenant of the upcoming inspection. By law, you must give your tenant a 12 hour-notice in Florida.
To protect themselves, landlords in Saratoga Springs and beyond must tell their clients they're coming for an inspection. If you're using a good property management company, they will already know the law and adhere to it.
What Do I Inspect?
When you conduct an inspection, check the essential items that protect your property and tenant. Here is a list of the major things to inspect and then replace:
- Smoke detector batteries
- Furnace filters
- Fire extinguishers
- Running toilets
- Leaky sinks, toilets, faucets, and roof
- Windo seals
- Door Seals
- Appliances
Good landlords will also check for any bugs or pests that may be on the property. They will call the appropriate exterminator or take action themselves to rid the property of the pests. Not caring for pests immediately puts tenants in danger of illness and the landlord at risk for liability.
You should also check the overall condition and cleanliness of the property.
Use your property inspection as a chance to maintain your property and not spy on your tenants. It's important that you establish good tenant-landlord relationships in these inspections by asking tenants if there's anything they've noticed that needs fixing.
Conduct Regular Maintenance
Establish a goodwill relationship with your tenant by explaining that inspections will help you maintain the property. No tenant enjoys having someone wander through their home and looking in every nook and cranny. When you inspect and then fix the property, you'll prove that you're there to care for the property and improve their living situation.
Also, if you conduct regular maintenance and inspections, you will have fewer surprises when the tenant moves out. You'll know what to expect throughout the house.
Keep clear records of your inspections and maintenance schedule. This way you can keep track of how the property has changed since the last inspection. You will know if the tenant is responsible for new damage or if just basic wear and tear has broken the property down.
Conduct Rental Property Inspections Regularly
When you own a rental property, plan on conducting rental property inspections at least every six months if not every three months. Establish a schedule with your tenant when they move in. Then give the tenant a 12-hour notice and arrive with a checklist and the desire to make your property better.
Are you struggling to maintain your rental property? We can help. We seek to provide the most hassle-free, professional, and reliable property management experience for owners and tenants.
Contact us today and let us help you.
