Any owner of residential houses needs to make sure that the houses are well maintained. As tenants continue living in a house, it wears out. Some items become dysfunctional while others break and need replacement. The landlord may not have enough time at hand to enable them take care of such issues. They therefore enlist the services of a property manager. Keeping residential houses in good conditions helps in making sure that all the houses are occupied most of the time. If the tenants feel that the houses are not in such good conditions, then they may opt to move out and move into another house that is well maintained.
Property managers are individuals or companies who take care of the day to day running of residential and commercial houses on behalf of the landlord. Property manager’s act on behalf of landlord’s in preserving the value of the property while generating income at the same time.
They can be divided into the following;
Commercial property managers
Residential property managers
Industrial warehouse managers
Vacation properties managers Continue reading
Chasing Up Outstanding Rent
Contracts between landlords and tenants are created for a specific purpose, and when the contract has been breached, you have to take action. Chasing up outstanding rent is one of the most common breaches, and it’s important that you deal with this problem quickly as a landlord.
Outstanding rent should always be responded to with a letter. Simple stating the amount of money owed, while you should always include the threat of court action. In most cases arrears will be cleared shortly after, and you should always follow up on your word if payment is not made.
You could also say they need to contact you urgently, and it’s all about gathering written proof to back up your contract, proving that the tenant has breached the contract and not responded. The court will then take the necessary steps to get your money back.
Spring Cleaning – The Main Jobs
Some jobs need doing once or twice every year, and most landlords will have a spring clean before the next sets of tenants come into the property. There are some spring cleaning jobs that simply have to be done, and we’re going to list you the main ones.
- Deep carpet cleaning to remove above 98% of bacteria
- Unblocking and checking damage on gutters
- Weeding the garden
- Bleeding the radiators
- Servicing main appliances like washing machines, fridges and freezers
- Washing mattresses
- Washing sofa cushions other communal textiles
- Thoroughly cleaning bathrooms
- Detailed kitchen clean
- Washing doors and skirting boards
This list can go on, and these are just some of the essentials, but if you get these done, your house will fell a lot cleaner for your next tenant.
Things you Need to Know About Residential Management
Some investors or landlords find it hard to keep track of their properties due to other commitments or lack of experience on how to manage a residential property. As such, the best option is always to find someone or a company that is capable to handle such matters. There are many things that are involved in residential management and the kinds of functions they have to perform differ from one property to another. Basically, the property owner usually delegates the kind of tasks they want to be handled by the management company for a certain commission or fee. Some of the tasks that a management firm may carry out are discussed below.
Most of the investors and property owners are ever busy and do not have time to attend to tenant needs. There could be a broken pipe or leaking taps that require to be fixed and the property owner may not be around to find someone to come and fix it. With residential management, such needs are attended to and without the owner having to make any physical appearance. The company or individual managing the property is mandated to ensure that the property is properly maintained at all times. Continue reading
Moving out of a Rented House
When you move out of a house that you’re renting, it can be easy to think more about packing, whilst forgetting about the condition of the house. You need to remember though, that your deposit will not be given back if the property has been damaged or left in a poor condition.
A quick clean when you’ve moved your furniture out cna help you get your money back without any issues, and it’s actually quite easy to clean a house or an apartment when there is no furniture inside. Your contract and the inventory will outline the condition of the house before you moved in, and you will need to make sure it’s in that same state when you hand the key in to the landlord.
Students often have a reputation for not getting their deposits back, and it goes to show that you have to leave every room in adequate condition, so care and attention is needed when you’re moving out.