Many landlords or property managers only inspect their units when tenants leave. Landlords mostly check the rental units when tenants leave to see if they will need to hold back some or all of the security deposit and to see what type of maintenance and upgrades should be completed before the next tenant moves in. If landlords or property managers have long term tenants that renew their lease every year many landlords or property managers will assume everything is OK in the rental and wait for tenants to report any issues with the rental instead of doing an inspection. However, landlords that do not perform yearly inspections do a disservice to their tenants and their rental property. Failure to inspect your property on an annual basis could lead to small problems like small drips, leaky faucets, water spots and other issues that have gone unreported to turn into major problems. Many landlords or property managers understand they should conduct yearly inspections but are afraid to bother long term tenants. Therefore, to avoid causing any issues with tenants when conducting an inspection follow these tips on how to make rental inspections go over smoothly with your tenants.
Make sure to give notice before a routine inspection. Besides being a basic common courtesy, giving your tenants notice before a routine inspection is part of the law in many states.
Make sure your residents know why you're inspecting the property including what areas you're focusing on (e.g. plumbing, heating and electrical).
Make sure at least one leaseholder is present during the inspection to ensure there are no accusations of theft. In addition, a tenant is more likely to tell you of any problems with the rental if they are present during an inspection.
Make sure to handle any issues professionally and with care. If you notice issues with neglect or damage of the rental be sure to document it in your rental property system and then notify the tenant in a formal letter and include the problems found during the inspection.
Once an inspection is completed a landlord’s job is only half done. It is likely that after natural wear and tear of your units you will need to complete some sort of maintenance or repair. Make sure you document all problems that need to be addressed in your Building Management Software. It may be helpful to create a list of tasks that have higher priority and save all repairs, costs and tenants notifications in your Lease Management Software so you can easily access it during tax season or in case legal issues arise regarding tenants paying for repairs.
This post is provided by RISSOFT Residential and Commercial Property Management Software, specializing in innovative and cutting-edge property management software for all 50 states. Request a demo or contact us today to receive more information.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.