New to Real Estate · Peoria, IL · Member since 2020 · 3 posts · 1 vote
Have been a landlord for several months. So far the tenant hasn’t reported any issue yet. I see today is the last day of 2020, do I need to check with my tenant to see if anything is wrong/broken/needs to be fixed? Or just assume there is no problem if the tenant doesn’t report?
Do you check with your tenants constantly to see if there is anything to be fixed?
Rental Property Investor · Springfield, MO · Member since 2020 · 120 posts · 96 votes
5y
@Xiao Wu Great question! As a landlord, it is easy to worry about your properties when you are not there. Plus, many tenants do not alert you of problems until it is too late!
However, there are a couple ways to get around this.
Depending on how long your lease is, I would do a thorough walk-through of the property in between each lease. If you have lease longer than one year, just communicate with your tenant that you’re going to do an annual walk-through. It’s your property… You just have to give them adequate notice, usually 24 to 48 hours.
Other than that, put in your lease agreement that tenants must notify you of all repair- related issues. Will they always tell you? Maybe, maybe not.
Make sure to inform them that issues related to normal wear-and-tear are the responsibility of the landlord....so it’s not like they’re coming out of pocket with anything.
Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rental Property Investor · Springfield, MO · Member since 2020 · 120 posts · 96 votes
5y
@Xiao Wu Great question! As a landlord, it is easy to worry about your properties when you are not there. Plus, many tenants do not alert you of problems until it is too late!
However, there are a couple ways to get around this.
Depending on how long your lease is, I would do a thorough walk-through of the property in between each lease. If you have lease longer than one year, just communicate with your tenant that you’re going to do an annual walk-through. It’s your property… You just have to give them adequate notice, usually 24 to 48 hours.
Other than that, put in your lease agreement that tenants must notify you of all repair- related issues. Will they always tell you? Maybe, maybe not.
Make sure to inform them that issues related to normal wear-and-tear are the responsibility of the landlord....so it’s not like they’re coming out of pocket with anything.
Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Dalyn is right. Remind them to let you know if there are problems and do a regular inspection. For the inspection, do it twice a year to check batteries in smoke detectors (and CO detectors) and to change the filters on the furnace.
Real Estate Broker · Tulsa- OKC Oklahoma · Member since 2017 · 868 posts · 801 votes
5y
@Dalyn Hazell is spot on. Yo don't want to hear every week. No news is typically good news but do a quarterly or bi annual walk thru to check things out. Good Luck
Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
5y
Things to check on rentals:
I look under all the sinks to make sure drains or lines aren't leaking.
I check the toilets to be sure the flappers aren't leaking and that the toilets are securely mounted.
I check/change the furnace filters
I check the water heater for signs of leaking
I check the HVAC drains for obstructions
I check/clean the gutters. (tenant responsibility but they don't do it)
I clean the exterior dryer vent so the flapper can close when air isn't coming out.
At that time, I make notes of any needed repairs. The interior portion of the inspection including getting up into the attic is usually less than 10 minutes. Ask the tenants if there's any issues that need attention.