We all know how important property maintenance and cleanliness are for residential rentals. When a property is taken care of well, it’s easier to fill vacancies. It also helps maintain or even increase the property value. And it helps keep you within legal compliance since some things can be a violation of safety codes. Since we know how important this is, we wanted to delve a little deeper and provide some tips and tricks to help keep your property renter ready at all times.
1. Take Pictures Prior To Move-in And At Move-out
This isn’t necessarily a direct cleaning or maintenance tip, but it’s equally important and relates to the topic at hand. By taking pictures before and after, you can keep a record of the property’s condition. This provides evidence of what the tenant is responsible for. It also helps protect you in case the tenant would make a false claim.
2. Provide Tenants With a Move-out Checklist
One of the first steps to keeping your property rent-ready is having your previous tenants take care of some of the cleaning. Provide them with a move-out checklist so that they know what they’re responsible for. This can make your job or your cleaning crew’s job much easier. Here’s a list from Nationwide targeted to tenants, in case you want some ideas.
Keep in mind, it’s a good idea to be at the property on move-out day. This allows you to see what condition it’s in and handle any potential disputes head-on.
3. Do a Deep Clean Between Tenants
Even after the tenants clean, you or your cleaning crew should still come in to do an inspection and thorough cleaning of the property. Clean everything from the appliances to the light fixtures. You don’t want to leave dust, soap scum, debris, rust, or any other unclean thing behind for the next tenants. It’s a good idea to have a checklist created for yourself (or your cleaning crew) as well. This can help ensure that nothing gets missed.
A quick cleaning tip, vinegar can be your friend. It can be helpful in cleaning the shower, hard water deposits in various locations, and the showerhead. It can even be helpful on a stovetop. Just use a little vinegar and water on the area. Wait 10 minutes. Afterward, use soapy water and scrub the area. Baking soda is also a great household tool to use. Use it to clean up grout (make a paste with water and baking soda). After putting the paste on, you can use a vinegar spray to wipe away the dirt. Baking soda and vinegar pair great to clean up stainless steel sinks, stovetops, microwaves, dishwashers, showers, and more. Check out this list from Taste of Home for a few ideas.
If you don’t have a cleaning crew, then make sure you have the tools you need to get the job done. Of course, vinegar and baking soda are your friends, but they’re not the only options. A magic eraser can do wonders on grout, walls, and even painted doors. Carpet cleaner is also good to have handy if you’re going to clean the carpets instead of replacing them. You’ll want gloves, sponges, microfiber cloths, sanitizer, window cleaner, and bleach as well. Make sure you’re fully supplied when it comes to cleaning up the space.
4. Perform These Regular Property Maintenance Needs
There are some maintenance needs that should be handled on a regular basis. Make sure to replace HVAC filters based on the recommended guidelines for the type of filter you’re using. Also, make sure to check the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors periodically to see if new batteries are needed. Ensure that everything appears to be in working condition during any inspections or move-outs. One of the common things to look out for is water damage. Check around any plumbing areas to see if you notice any issues. Also, check for roof leaks on ceilings.
5. Be Available When a Repair is Needed
The quicker you handle any needed repairs the better, not just for your tenant, but also for you and the property. By taking care of these needs with immediacy it helps to avoid more bigger, costly problems.
6. Commit To Periodic Exterminator Visits
You may not always notice a pest problem until it becomes a large one, so take a proactive approach. Have an exterminator come onto the property periodically so that you can ensure there aren’t any pest problems brewing.
7. Replace or Clean Flooring In Between Tenants
When tenants move out, you need to decide whether to clean or replace the flooring. If it’s carpeting, you may choose to shampoo or put new carpeting in. If you have hardwood, then you may want to decide when it’s time for refinishing. No matter what type of flooring there is, take time to inspect it and determine what the best next step is.
8. Make Sure All Holes Are Patched Up And Apply A New Coat Of Paint Between Tenants
Even if it’s your tenant’s responsibility to patch up holes before they leave, make sure to look over the walls and see how well they did and whether any additional patching is needed. And a fresh coat of paint on the walls can help give the space a new, cleaner feel for prospective tenants.
Keeping your property thoroughly cleaned and well maintained is beneficial for everyone involved. It helps you retain property value, makes it easier to fill vacancies, and keeps tenants happy. However, we know this is a lot of work, so please reach out to us at PMI. We’re happy to help keep your property in top-notch shape. Visit our website to learn more: http://www.virginiabeachpropertymanagementinc.net.
