To maintain profitability in an investment property, you need to do proper preventative maintenance.
On a tenant turn, you need to check items so that they do not cause you issues later on, when a tenant is actually living in your unit. Maintenance is exponentially more difficult when you have to coordinate your schedule with your tenants.
Jobs that require additional parts or tools require a trip to the hardware store and potentially paying too much for the part, or forcing a half-assed fix just to keep the tenant happy and avoid an uninhabitable situation. You want the fix to be 100%, done in the proper manner.
Inspect these items after every rental move out and before a move in.
- Kitchen and bathroom sink drains and drain piping for leaks. Fill sinks full, check for leaks. Then drain and check again.
- Proper caulking around kitchen sink, counter tops, vanities and tub. This will prevent future issues with water.
- Check water heater for leaks
- Check toilet for leaks or flapper not working properly
- Run dishwasher and check for leaks on floor under appliance
- Check faucet aerators for clogs and drips
- Be sure all doors close properly, proper door knobs for each room type. Hall/closet knobs for hall closet, locking bedroom knobs for bedrooms and baths.
- All light bulbs working
- All appliances working, all stove burners working
- All window locks working
- All outlets and switches solidly mounted with a good cover
- Window coverings (mini-blinds, vertical blinds) in decent shape. If you are not providing window coverings, do not let your tenants’ put up unsightly sheets over the windows.
- Clean, Clean, Clean. When you turnover a clean apartment, you should expect it back in the same clean condition!
…. Remember, everything in a rental property needs to be industrial strength, nice looking, and cheap.
What do you do on a rental turn? So you have any sort of system? As a renter, have you ever moved into a place that needed maintenance right away?
