Rental Inspection - Good For San Diego Rental Property Owners
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29 Nov Rental Inspection
San Diego rental property investors should always know what is happening at their property. A rental inspection is a great opportunity for landlords to check for maintenance and to ensure tenants are following the terms of their lease. Yet many landlords still only inspect a rental two times, when the lease begins, and when it ends. While these rental inspections are necessary, it is simply not enough. In fact, depending on the neighborhood and the type of renters, you should be on 3-month or 6-month intervals. The purpose of a rental inspection should be twofold. First, you should be inspecting and maintaining the rental property itself. Things like leaks under the sink, or loose caulking around tubs and toilets should be fixed right away. Second, a regular rental inspection is an opportunity to ensure your tenant is maintaining the property as outlined in your lease.
Types of Regular Rental Property Inspections
For any San Diego rental property owner, regular property inspections are a critical piece of ensuring your investment’s long-term success. Regular rental property inspections help you monitor the condition of your property overtime. It also enables you to see how a tenant maintains your property. For this reason it’s important to do routine safety and maintenance inspections. By establishing a routine of regular well-documented inspections, you can protect yourself against bad tenants. Additionally, it allows you to create a detailed record should it ever be needed on matters related to either an eviction or a security deposit matter. With this in mind, we offer some insight on the types of rental property inspections every San Diego property owner should be performing.
A San Diego tenant move-in inspection is probably the second most important step you can take to ensure a good landlord-tenant relationship. This type of rental property inspection should take place when your tenant gets their keys and before they move in. Make sure to provide every tenant with a move-in checklist during the walk through. This enables them to document the move-in condition and take any notes of existing wear items or damage. Any issues should be photographed and a copy of the photos as well as the inspection should go to you and your tenants.
When a tenant moves out, this type of inspection is an opportunity to effectively document the condition of your property. Conduct this inspection with the tenant present. This fact cannot be overstated! It is the only way to truly protect your interests if there are any damages. In fact, your tenant could deny responsibility if you allow them to just drop off the keys at your office. As with all inspections, a camera is one of the most important tools for properly documenting the condition of a property.
Routine Safety and Maintenance Inspections
No matter how many rental properties you have, you should visit your rentals on a regular basis. In fact, depending on the neighborhood and type of renters, you should schedule inspections in 3-month or 6-month intervals. As with all rental property inspections, you should have a checklist, and a camera with you. Routine maintenance inspections will help prevent your property from devaluing through issues that can manifest themselves when left untreated. During a routine maintenance inspection, it is good to check for things such as the safety and security of your tenants by inspecting things like smoke alarms. Additionally, check the overall cleanliness of the property, look for mold around bathrooms and kitchens, and make sure all appliances are working; heating is operational, and check for leaks among other things.
A drive-by rental inspection doesn’t require prior tenant notification. For this reason, a drive-by inspection is a good way to ensure your tenants are not violating the terms of their lease. When doing this type of inspection look to see if you notice any pets or parked vehicles that are not registered to your tenants. If you happen to notice a car that regularly parks at your rental home, or a pet roaming around your property. It is likely your tenant may be in violation of their lease. If this happens make sure to notify them in writing to schedule a formal rental inspection.
Tenants may not notice or tell you about maintenance issues right away. For this reason, routine maintenance and regular inspections will help you to remedy any issues before they can cause extensive damage. With regular inspections and routine maintenance, you’ll be taking a proactive approach to property management. And, a proactive approach to ensuring your investment’s long-term success.
Assessing the condition of your San Diego rental property on a regular basis will prevent any issues from becoming bigger and more costly, and give you peace of mind that your tenants are taking good care of your rental home. If you have questions about how and when to schedule regular rental property inspections or need help doing so, please contact us. We offer move-in, move-out, and regularly scheduled inspections as a part of our property management services. For anyone looking for the best residential property management, look no further. We manage single-family homes, condos, and apartment buildings throughout the San Diego County. Whether you are interested in changing property managers, or simply looking to hire a property management company for the first time, Rancho Mesa Properties can help. We take care of all types of residential rental properties including homes, condos, multiplexes such as duplex and triplexes, and even small apartment buildings. Let us manage your rental properties, so you can enjoy your life! Call us today at (858) 576-2176. We will save you time, money, and the stress that comes along with managing your own rentals.
Managing A Rental Property, Proactive Property Management, Proactive vs. Reactive Maintenance, Property Inspections, Rental Property Inspections, Types of Rental Property Inspections