Landlord’s Spring Clean – What’s Included in Property Maintenance?
September is here, the perfect time for a property spring clean! When investing in rental property, maintenance is one of the most important things. This not only maintains value and prevents minor problems from escalating, it also keeps your customers happy. Our Christchurch Property Managers have compiled a spring clean list to make life as a landlord easier. There’s quite a bit to do, so it pays to block out time.
Property Maintenance Inside
Apart from a thorough clean, there are a few more things you should take care of. Condensation, for example, is one of the biggest factors accelerating damage to properties and causing health issues. Of course it’s up to your tenants to air their home, but there are a few things you can do. When choosing curtains for a rental, select thick, heavy ones. Make sure that extractor fans and heating are in good condition. Maintaining the heatpump (if applicable) is very important, too. Filters should be cleaned regularly and the outdoor unit should be kept free from bushes.
If you notice mildew, you can wash it out of curtains and clean walls and ceilings with a damp cloth and household bleach (use a test patch first!). If the paint/wallpaper is damaged, try a fungicide solution.
Spring is also a great time for a fresh lick of paint and a professional carpet clean, which instantly improves your property’s appearance. While you’re at it, make sure to check all lights are working and doors and locks are in good condition.
If you want to be really thorough, why not equip your rental with a new kitchen/bathroom to add value?
Property Maintenance Outside
Wash the exterior of your house, remove cobwebs and clean the windows to do away with any traces of the wet, cold winter. You might need to fix minor problems such as decks or weatherboards that need replacement.
But property maintenance doesn’t only apply to the house itself. The outside area is just as important. A tidy garden/drive makes your property more appealing to potential tenants and encourages them to keep these areas in good condition. Clean decks, degrease driveways and concrete areas, mow lawns, trim hedges, weed gardens and remove any rubbish.
It also pays to invest in quality fencing. Apart from fixing any broken bits, a fresh stain or waterblast makes your fence look like new.
But Wait, There’s More!
It’s not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about maintenance, but getting up to speed with legal matters is vital, too. Do you have all your maintenance forms and paperwork ready to go? Of course you need a professional tenancy agreement, but what about addendums and disclosures, cleaning checklists, application forms, lease terminations, rent collection forms, lease enforcements, property condition reports, employment verification forms, lease violation notices, rent statement mailers and so on? Now is the time to get sorted.
Can’t Find the Time to Do all This?
Bayleys Property Management has a team of expert Christchurch Property Managers to help you out. Forget about ringing around for quotes and organising all those contractors to spruce up your property! We have discounted rates with contractors for owners or, alternatively, we can organise your nominated contractors.
We’ll guide you through the legal jungle, make sure you get quality tenants and share insider tips on how to present your property to get the best possible returns. To keep everything nice and tidy, we do 3-monthly inspections and take care of issues the minute they arise so come next spring your cleaning/maintenance list won’t be nearly as daunting.