As a landlord, you wear many hats. Rent collection, maintenance, tenant help, and much more. We know it can be hard to keep track of everything you should do on-site. However, there are a few things you should have on your yearly list to keep your property in its best condition. We’ve accumulated a list of things that you should make sure to do every year.
Check Smoke Alarms
Whether you hear your smoke alarms beeping to alert you to change the batteries or not, it is always a good idea to inspect them yearly. You may find that your tenants have taken out the batteries or gotten rid of the alarm entirely.
Water Leaks & Mold
Water leaks can be an expensive issue if not taken care of immediately. Not only do you have to take care of the repair, you may end up paying extra in water bills, mold removal, and damaged floor or ceilings. Walkthrough the property and look at all the appliances that may run a leak including water heaters, faucets, and more.
If you do see a potential problem, it’s best to call a contractor to give you their opinion.
Check Your Locks
For whatever reason, your tenants may have changed the locks. When you walk through your property each year, check your keys to make sure that the one you have still works. This is important when you need to enter the home for maintenance or when the tenant is not around.
If you find that locks are getting changed often, you can always add additional charges for lock changes.
Change Filters
Changing your air and furnace filters are important and your tenants are most likely ignoring it. If this goes ignored for too long, it can pose potential safety threats like fires and poor air quality. The older your filter is, the harder the furnace is working to do its job.
Filters are relatively cheap and easy to replace, you could do it yourself. If you’re not comfortable changing them, you can also hire a contractor to do it as well.
Gutter Clean Out
This is especially important if your property is surrounded by a lot of trees. Cleaning your gutters out at least once a year is key to avoiding water damage. This is most likely not expected of tenants, making this something you have to handle as the landlord. You can most likely hire a company to come out and handle this regularly so you don’t have to spend time on this task.
If you’re looking to invest in real estate but don’t want the responsibility that comes with it, letting a management company take care of everything is your best option. At Wisco Turnkey, our team handles everything from screening tenants to yearly maintenance. Invest in a property that fits your financial goals and let us take care of the rest while you reap the immediate benefits. Schedule a call with one of our experts today and get started: https://wiscoturnkey.com/
