Preparing Rental Property For Tenants

As the owner of rental property, a landlord has many responsibilities, including upholding the warranty of implied habitability required by law. What this means is the rental unit should be ready for occupancy, all problems fixed and taken care of.

After your tenants move out, this is a great opportunity to walk through the rental unit to determine what repairs and maintenance need to be performed. The following specific areas should be examined and repaired if need be, before you can consider renting out to a new tenant.

1. Working fit fixtures and fittings. Check to see if faucets, showers, tubs, toilets, etc. do not leak and consistently operate without any mal-functioning. Leaks and all other problems should be fixed before renting out your property. It may be cheaper to replace faulty fixtures as it will help you avoid future problems. As well, providing tenants with quality fixtures and repairing leaky faucets / showers / tubs / toilets, etc. can also substantially reduce your water bills. If a landlord is responsible for paying the utilities and water bill, it will save him / her a substantial amount of money.
2. Carpets should undergo thorough cleaning. Mould, mildew, pet stains, etc. are considered as health hazards, problems that should be resolved after a tenant moves out and the new one moves in. Proper cleaning of carpets will ensure tenants have a healthy environment, as diseases, such as, toxoplasmosis, normally found in cat urine stains can prove to be deadly. As for mould or mildew, there is nothing for a landlord to do, but to replace the carpet. Far cheaper than expensive litigation.
3. Cabinets, closets and storage areas should be completely cleaned out. Leaky fixtures can lead to mould and mildew lurking under cabinets, in which case, if the damage is severe, they may need to be replaced. And, closets are one area tenants frequently neglect to clean out when they leave. Give them a thorough spring cleaning, handling any forgotten property in an appropriate manner by tracking down previous tenants and notifying them of their abandoned property. Give them a reasonable length of time in which to collect their belongings, after which dispose off the discarded property, as you deem fit.
4. Walls should be chip, mark and hole free. Depending on the length of the tenancy, you may have to repaint the entire rental unit. Any holes in the walls should be fixed and patched, so as not to hold your new tenant liable for damage caused by someone else.
5. All appliances should operate perfectly. Landlords providing free utilities should consider replacing old appliances, as they consume and waste a lot of energy. Getting newer models in their place will help you save a considerable amount of money, in terms of energy, repairs and maintenance. Not only will your tenants appreciate new mod cons, but you will lower your electric or gas bills, as well.
6. Remove any evidence of lead paint in the rental unit. If your property was built after 1978, it will not contain any lead paint. In case, it was built much, much earlier, you need to find out if it contains lead paint. In case, it does, make your prospective tenants aware of the fact before they move in.
7. All doors and windows should operate properly. Ensure all doors and windows of your rental property open and shut, and are in good working order, including cabinets, patio doors and windows.

Further, what is important is the selection of suitable tenants for your property. Getting relevant information on rental application forms will assist you in screening prospective tenants, tenants who will respect, maintain and limit damage to only wear and tear of your property. For help in suitable tenant selection, visit www.e-renter.com for tenant screening and background check services, the best and only way to prevent expensive litigation, penalty charges or property damage.