Hiring a property management firm to handle your rental property is an important decision. Choosing the right property manager will mean the difference between your success or failure in terms of keeping the property rented, keeping the rental in good condition and having satisfied customers that will rent your property again.
If you live far away from your rental property, your property manager will be your eyes, ears and brain regarding the property. Having a property manager that is knowledgeable about maintenance and repair will be critical in preventing damage to the property caused by leaks, unchanged filters, bugs and other potential problems.
Many problems can go unnoticed in a casual walk through of a house. A qualified property manager will be willing to speak to each tenant after they check out to find out if any problems were discovered. The property manager should regularly inspect the property themselves for several common problems.
Rental properties should be regularly checked for roof leaks. Sometimes the only sign is a discoloration on part of the ceiling. A walk through should include checking all ceiling areas for discoloration, mold or mildew which can all be signs of a roof leak.
Each sink should be checked underneath regularly for leaks. Moisture, discoloration or other signs need to be found as soon as possible to prevent further damage. They should also check all the faucets to make sure they shut off completely and do not leak or drip. All the toilets should be flushed to make sure they shut off properly. Water bills from leaky toilets can really add up.
One common problem in rental properties is that the filters in air conditioning and heating units rarely get changed. This hinders the efficiency of the units, and can cause damage if left too long. Make sure the rental is stocked with the correct sizes of filters when other cleaning supplies are stocked.