Staying On Top Of Routine Rental Property Maintenance
Owning and maintaining rental property can be a lot of work. Failure to properly care for your property could lead to costly repairs or even lower the value of your property. Additionally, tenants won't usually be happy with a poorly maintained property, and they may decide to move out, costing you money.
The best strategy to keeping your rental properties in great shape is to hire a property manager to recommend, coordinate, and oversee maintenance work. However, if you prefer a more hands-on approach on how your rental property is be maintained, read on to learn specific areas to keep an eye on.
Landscaping
Keeping shrubbery well maintained can enhance the visual appeal of your home, attracting tenants and even raising the value of your property. You should also ensure that trees in your property are routinely checked for overhanging or dead limbs that could damage the property or fall on a neighbor's home. Hanging limbs could also mess with power lines or even fall on passers-by, resulting in an expensive injury lawsuit.
If you have a tenant, be sure to outline their responsibilities on landscape maintenance on their rental agreement. For instance, you could specify that the tenant should handle trimming the grass and other greenery, while you as the landlord will be responsible for more difficult tasks such as removing fallen tree branches on the property.
The roofing system
Another important area to keep an eye on is the roofing system, which includes the roof shingles, gutters, and chimney.
Routinely have a roofer inspect the roof for missing or damaged shingles, especially after a bad storm. Roof damage could allow water to infiltrate the underlying roof structure, causing extensive rotting that could led to an eventual roof collapse. A leaky roof could also increase the likelihood of your property getting mold, necessitating costly removal projects and making a possible health hazard.
Next, ensue that the chimney is checked for twigs, leaves, soot, and other debris that could cause a fire hazard or contaminate indoor air. You should also have your gutters cleaned and repaired for damaged sealant, holes, missing hangers, and other sorts of damage that would allow water to be dumped near your foundation.
The foundation
Water infiltration through your foundation can be a costly problem, weakening the structural integrity of your home and even flooding your basement regularly. To avoid such issues, be sure to periodically add dirt backfill to the soil around the foundation so that rainwater flows away from the home. You should also consider having a French drain installed to keep water away from the foundation.
