Unfortunately, rental properties do not maintain themselves. Part of the job of a landlord or property manager is to make sure to fix big maintenance issues. If you put in the work before big issues arise, then you can avoid spending lots of time and money on a tight timeline. It is a give and take, though. While the landlords must keep up with the property, the tenant must alert the owners to any issues that arise.
This means landlords and property managers have to sift through requests, giving each one adequate attention. Some requests will be emergencies that will threaten the livability of the apartment, while others can wait a little longer to be fixed. Tenants should also be certain that the landlord will respond to them. Therefore, the landlord should have a system in place so that they can see every request that comes through.
Here are a few things that are easy to check on:
- Make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are inspected. They must be in working order in your properties.
- Check for leaks and grout damage. Checking for leaks in bathrooms and kitchens means that you can prevent extensive water damage to your property, while grout in good condition can also ward off water damage.
- Make sure heating and cooling units are working well. If you have regular maintenance on these systems, you can hopefully avoid replacing these units.
- Check locks so that tenants’ property will stay secure.
These are easy ways to make sure that you can maintain your properties without having sudden, emergency upkeep.
To learn more about property upkeep, check out this article that inspired this blog: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/essential-landlord-maintenance