As a property owner, it is best to keep your tenant on board with keeping your Poquoson rental property clean. This is because the value of your property is dependent on its overall condition. Unfortunately, some tenants do not give importance to cleaning and property maintenance. If you fail to check up on them, you may not know about cleanliness issues until it becomes a much bigger problem.
Regular property inspections are at the core of the property management process. But like many other aspects of owning rental properties, some approaches to property inspections are more effective than others. Knowing why inspections are important, how to create and carry out an inspection schedule, and how to talk with your tenant about cleanliness are all things that a successful property owner needs to know.
Regular property inspections must be performed for these reasons: You can gather valuable insight if the tenant upholds the terms of the lease and also catch developing problems early on. Some tenants may have different ideas about cleanliness. A dirty house or a yard may not be a concern to some. Some would feel that the cleanliness of the home is none of your business. This is absolutely false. A dirty house or yard could easily result in serious problems like structural damage, bad odors, pest infestations, and more. If these issues are not addressed early, you could end up with expensive repairs and drain the security deposit.
Property inspections are an important part of the maintenance process, therefore it needs to be done in an organized manner. As a property owner, you have several different kinds of inspections in your property management toolbox. The move-in inspection can help you establish a baseline for your property’s condition, helpful if you need to assess wear and tear or property damage later on. Then there are the drive-by inspections that allow you to check visible issues with the property’s exterior, as you pass your rental property.
But regular inspections are considered as the most important inspections for safety and cleanliness for a property’s interior. A yearly set number of inspections is not set in stone. Some property owners prefer to inspect once a year while others check the rental house every three or six months. Annual inspections are a common choice and make both parties happy. Property owners can get an accurate assessment of the property’s condition and tenants are spared the undue hardship.
Do not inspect your property too often because these constant intrusions can frustrate your tenant. But then, if upon inspection, you encounter cleanliness problems, you may have to visit frequently until you will be reasonably sure that your tenant is doing his part to make the property clean. The same is true if you discover a tenant with an unauthorized pet or unauthorized people. With every inspection, document all your findings with photos and in writing.
Discussing cleanliness inspections with tenants may seem tricky but it doesn’t need to be. The best way to do this is to manage the tenant’s expectations about property inspections by adding an inspection schedule in the lease. Proper notice must be given before you enter the property and your tenant must be fully aware of the purpose of your visit. Establishing good communication with your tenant can make your property inspections much easier for everyone, and help you check the property as needed.
If there is a need for a tenant to clean up the property, the request ought to be done in writing. By giving a detailed list of tasks to your tenants, your requests are clear to them and they would know exactly what you expect. You can also include photographs that you have taken to create a paper trail to create strong evidence should the need arises.
Regular property inspections, when done appropriately and routinely, helps drive the tenants to make the rental property clean. When tenants know that you are constantly monitoring, this gives them a stronger incentive to keep your property tidy.
Need help coming up with a lease, or maybe you’d rather not deal with your tenants at all? Feel free to reach out to Real Property Management Dominion and talk to one of our property managers at 757-395-4274 or contact us online.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
