If you are a landlord that owns several rental properties, this can be very demanding and stressful. To keep the money coming in, you need to do what you can to take care of your properties so your tenants stay happy. Below are two tips to help you do this.

Inspect Property Regularly

Inspect your properties before a tenant moves in, after they move out, and at least every six months to a year while they are living in the home.

Make sure you inform the tenants before you do an inspection so you do not violate their privacy. Take a camera with you when you do these inspections to document any damage or potential problems. When you get home, organize the photographs by date to help you determine who was responsible for the damage and when the damage occurred.

Besides visual damage with the floors and walls, there are some other things you should look for during your inspection including:

Check for Fire and Safety Hazards

Ensuring your rental properties are safe should be on the top of your list. To do this, you need to do a safety inspection. Check to make sure that the windows have screens intact, the roof is maintained, and balconies are structurally sound.

Hoarding is something else to look for, as it can be a fire hazard. Your tenant may never take out their garbage, or have things stacked around everywhere. This can also make it very difficult for you when it comes time to clean out the rental property when the tenant moves out.

Check for Signs of Infestations

If there are infestations of any kind, this can be expensive for you and a health risk for your tenants.  For a mouse or rat infestation, look for frayed wires and ask the tenants if they have heard any scurrying in the ceiling or walls. Look at the insulation in the attic to see if rodents have chewed through it.

Ask your tenants if they wake up with bites, as this is a sign of bed bugs. It is up to the tenant to determine if they are infested by some insects. For example, cock roaches generally only come out at night.

Hire a Property Management Company

To completely take everything off your back and do all of this and more for you, hire a property management company. They can offer many services including:

  • Collect rent from tenants
  • Handle repair and maintenance issues
  • Respond to tenant complaints
  • Pursue evictions
  • Screening of an applicant's criminal history, rental history, and credit
  • Maintain records for legal and tax purposes

As you can see, a property management company can be a lifesaver for you.

Following these tips can allow you to be a great landlord and keep your rental properties filled. Contact a business, such as the Vintage Corporation, for more information.   

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