As a property owner, you want to know that your tenant is keeping your Cambridge rental property clean. In any event, the value of your property depends, in part, on the overall condition. Sadly, some tenants may not be keeping up with their cleaning and property maintenance. Hence, if you never check up on them, you may not even know that cleanliness is becoming an issue until it turns into a much bigger problem.
Regular property inspections are an important part of your overall property management process. Although like several other aspects of owning rental properties, some approaches to property inspections are more practical 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 ways that an effective and successful property owner must perceive and apply.
Executing regular property inspections are important for a lot of reasons. It can provide valuable insight into how well your tenant is upholding the terms of the lease and help you catch developing problems early on. Certain tenants may have different ideas about what cleanliness is or may not see the dirty house or yard as a reason to worry. They may even feel that the cleanliness of the home is none of your business. But in truth, that is far off the mark. A dirty house or yard can quickly result in more serious problems, including structural damage, bad odors, pest infestations, and more. Unless these problems are caught quickly, you could find yourself faced with expensive repairs beyond what the security deposit will cover.
Considering property inspections are important, it’s important to have an organized approach to executing them. As a property owner, you have a lot of 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 drive-by inspections, which will allow you to drive by your rental property and check for visible issues with the property’s exterior.
The most important inspections, however, are regular inspections for safety and cleanliness in the property’s interior. There isn’t an exact number of inspections you can carry about yearly. Some property owners prefer to inspect the property once a year, while others may plan to check the rental house every three or six months. Annual inspections are the most known for the reason that they let property owners get a clear sense of the property’s condition without causing so much distress for their tenants.
It’s vital not to inspect the property too often, because your constant intrusions may irritate your tenant. But take note, if you have uncovered cleanliness problems in your previous inspections, more frequent visits may be necessary until you are comparatively confident that your tenant is keeping the property clean. The same might be said if you discover your tenant has an unauthorized pet or that unauthorized people are kept in the house. Irrespective of what you detect within your inspection, you have to document each visit carefully in photos and writing.
Talking to tenants about cleanliness inspections can become rather tricky, but in truth, it doesn’t need to be. One of the best and ideal ways to manage your tenant’s expectations about property inspections is to include an inspection schedule in the lease. It’s critical to give proper notice before entering the property and ensure that your tenant knows the purpose of your visit. Bringing about and establishing good communication with your tenant can make your property inspections much easier for everyone, and help you check the property as needed.
If you do have to call on your tenant to clean up the property, it’s best to do so in writing. By giving clear requests and a detailed list of tasks for your tenant, you leave no doubt pertaining to what you expect from them to do. You can moreover include the photographs you take to be even more persuasive and to create a strong paper trail, should the need arise.
When used routinely and appropriately, regular property inspections can help you make sure that your tenants are keeping your rental property clean. And, as a matter of fact, when your tenants perceive you will be checking on things, you give a stronger incentive to your tenant to keep the 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 Boston and talk to one of our property managers at 617-522-0099 or contact us online.
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