As a property owner, you want to know that your tenant is keeping your Bethlehem rental property clean. In the end, the value of your property depends, in part, on the overall condition. Regrettably, some tenants may not be keeping up with their cleaning and property maintenance. In fact, if you never check up on them, you may not even know that cleanliness is a concern up until it appears as a much bigger problem.
Regular property inspections are an important part of your overall property management process. Though like countless other aspects of owning rental properties, some approaches to property inspections are more excellent 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 details that a productive and successful property owner has to recognize.
Accomplishing regular property inspections are important for countless 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. Various tenants may have different ideas about what cleanliness is or may not see the dirty house or yard as a cause for alarm. They may even feel that the cleanliness of the home is none of your business. However, this is far from the truth. A dirty house or yard can quickly result in more serious problems, including structural damage, bad odors, pest infestations, and more. Until these nuisances are discovered soon, you could find yourself trapped with expensive repairs beyond what the security deposit will cover.
Since property inspections are important, it’s important to have an organized approach to getting them accomplished. As a property owner, you have countless 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 a fixed number of inspections you can complete annually. 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 appropriate since they enable property owners to get a clear sense of the property’s condition without making too much trouble for their tenants.
It’s significant not to inspect the property too often, because your constant intrusions may annoy your tenant. But on the other hand, if you have uncovered cleanliness problems in your previous inspections, more frequent visits may be necessary until after it is somewhat evident that your tenant is keeping the property clean. The same could be true if you discover your tenant has an unauthorized pet or that unauthorized people continue being in the house. Regardless of what you see throughout your inspection, you could document each visit carefully in photos and writing.
Talking to tenants about cleanliness inspections can appear to be risky, but actually, it doesn’t have to be. Classified among the ideal practices to manage your tenant’s expectations about property inspections is to include an inspection schedule in the lease. It’s as well imperative to give proper notice before entering the property and ensure that your tenant knows the purpose of your visit. Developing 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 want to urge that your tenant 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 related to what you require from them. You can furthermore include the photographs you took to be even more persuasive and to create a strong paper trail, should it be required.
When used routinely and appropriately, regular property inspections can help you make sure that your tenants are keeping your rental property clean. And indeed when your tenants comprehend you will be watching out 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 Lehigh Valley and talk to one of our property managers at 484-544-3351 or contact us online.
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