Keeping Your Property Up to Scratch for Tenants
When you become a landlord, you take on a certain set of responsibilities. If someone is paying you to live in your home, you need to make sure that your home is in good condition and suitable for them to comfortably live in. Here are a few areas to focus on that can help you to achieve this.
Between Tenants
When a tenant moves out of a property, chances are they will leave it in an acceptable condition. But it’s still important that you make sure that the property is up to the best possible standard for the new tenant moving in. First impressions count! Hire professional cleaners to take care of the entire space. Make sure that cupboards are all empty and that drawers – including those in the refrigerator and freezer – and that they are wiped down and clean inside. Depending on the amount of time the previous tenant lived at the property, you may even want to redecorate with a fresh coat of paint to combat marks or faded paint on the walls.
Monitor Property Maintenance in Apartments
If you own a property in an apartment or block of flats, chances are you pay a regular service charge for the maintenance of the shared elements of the property and the building’s grounds. While it would be good to simply trust that the people carrying this work out actually carry it out to a high standard, it’s good to monitor the standards. This will ensure that you’re getting your money’s worth and your tenant will likely have fewer complaints. Services could include anything from window cleaning to bin clearance. If you ever find problems or that work isn’t up to standard, make sure to file a complaint so that the issue is resolved.
Make Energy Recommendations
You likely want your tenants to stay long term and by keeping their energy bills down, you can make people feel more financially comfortable within your property. This can also encourage tenants to actually turn the heating on when temperatures drop, helping to keep your property warm and prevent issues such as mold. Renewable options like All Seasons Energy tend to be ideal.
Consider Annual Cleaning Services
There are certain tasks that the majority of people slack on – especially if you don’t own a property, so don’t have much concern for its longevity and long term condition. It may be worth fronting the costs of particular deep-cleaning tasks annually to maintain the value of your property in the long run. Some examples could include hiring someone to deep clean the oven, professionally cleaning the carpets and taking care of work such as cleaning the gutters and drains outside of the property.
These are just a few steps to consider when you’re a landlord. Each will make your property a lot more suitable and comfortable for your tenants. Not only does this keep tenants on board for longer, but it can maintain your property in the long-run too!
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