What Landlords Need to Do Before Tenants Move In
Landlords have a variety of responsibilities that they have to take care of. Sometimes the best time to do these things is when you’re in-between tenants. You might not want to have your property empty for very long, but an empty property can give you the chance to fix any problems and check everything over before your new tenants move in. As well as your legal responsibilities, you’re sure to want to check on your property occasionally and to ensure it’s in a marketable condition. Whether you have new tenants lined up already or not, here are some of the things you need to do.
Make Sure Safety Checks Are Up to Date
Landlords have several responsibilities to ensure that their properties are safe for tenants. This is not just a moral requirement, but a legal one too. You need to ensure that any required safety certificates and inspections are up to date. There’s one question that you might have if you’ve been checking which safety inspections you need to do: what is an EICR? You’ve probably been hearing this term a lot recently, and that’s because your property is now required to have one. It’s a thorough check of the property’s electrics, which you need to perform every five years.
Check for Any Problems
As well as carrying out necessary safety inspections to make sure they’re up to date, you might have other issues to correct too. You might prefer to have things fixed while you have tenants, but there are several reasons not to do that. You could find it harder to rent your property if you don’t fix any issues first. Even if this isn’t a problem, you could annoy your new tenants if repairs are required. It will also make it more difficult to get things done because you need to work around them.
Clean
A clean property will be easier to sell to new tenants. It also helps to keep your property in good condition if you clean it thoroughly in between tenants. You might expect your tenants to clean before they leave, but it can often be a good idea to have the property professionally cleaned too. It will give you a clean property that you can market more easily and it means it’s clean and ready for when your next tenants move in too. While the previous tenants might have kept it clean, a deep cleaning can make a big difference.
Perform an Inventory
It’s important to know what’s in your property and the condition it’s in. Even if the property isn’t furnished, you should have a record of the fixtures and fittings. The inventory can then be viewed and signed by the tenants. When they move out, you have a record of the condition of the property when they moved in that you can use to compare and observe any changes.
Before your new tenants move in, make sure you take care of these essential tasks. It will be easier to do these things before your next tenants are in the property.
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