PROPERTYSPARK ARTICLE

How To Avoid Tenants Damaging Your Property and How a Property Management Company Can Help

If you’ve been in the business of renting properties for very long, you’ve likely encountered at least an incident or two where tenants have caused damage to your properties. This can be one of the most frustrating aspects of renting properties, as significant damage can negatively impact your bottom line. Moreover, once a destructive tenant moves out, it is necessary to make repairs before a new tenant can begin to occupy the space, causing you to lose money on rent and repairs. The reality is that some tenants will simply be neglectful or intentionally destructive, while others may accidentally cause harm. However, regardless of why the damage occurred, the result will be that you must make necessary repairs. While it is impossible to completely avoid damage ever occurring to your properties, there are many helpful ways to prevent damage or minimize it, to keep your profits up and your expenses down. Read on to learn more about how to prevent damage to your rental properties and how a property management company could be a large and effective part of your damage prevention strategy.

Prevention is Key

When it comes to saving money on repair costs, the most effective thing you can do to protect your properties is to simply prevent the damage from happening in the first place. There are many ways to do so, but the reality is that most landlords are far too busy to effectively manage every task that goes into running a successful rental company. This is especially true, if the landlord is still growing their business and has already invested in multiple properties. No one person is capable of doing it all. Thus, if this situation sounds familiar, you may be overwhelmed already just trying to keep your head above water, making the addition of preventative strategies seem impossible.

In such cases, it is possible to get rid of the stress of day-to-day property management by hiring a professional company to take the reins. That way you can implement the strategies necessary to protect your properties, while focusing on the aspects of your business that require your direct influence, rather than being bogged down by tenant needs, repairs, and other day-to-day tasks. Henceforth, you can rest assured knowing that you have done everything in your power to protect your investments and the best interests of your tenants.

What Can Be Done Specifically to Prevent Tenant Damage?

There are many strategies that can be employed to reduce or even fully mitigate tenant damage to your properties, especially with the assistance of a professional property management company. These will be discussed further below:

1. Protect Yourself with A Clear Lease Agreement: A clear and comprehensive lease agreement is a very important tool to have in your arsenal. It should clearly define the tenants’ rights and responsibilities, as well as the consequences for failing to meet them. This will help ensure that tenants are held accountable for their actions if damages occur, while also reducing the risk of liability for yourself. While most landlords are experts in property investment, they may not necessarily be experts in the legal field. Thus, having a property management company assist in drafting the lease agreement can ensure it is written to fully protect your interests.
2. Implement a Thorough Tenant Screening Process: One of the best ways to ensure damage does not occur in the first place is to only allow tenants into your property who have proven they make a good tenant. This means utilizing an extensive screening process that evaluates credit, background, and income information. A thorough screening process will help you select tenants who are more likely to pay their rent on time and take care of your property. A property management company can provide you with the resources necessary to successfully conduct these screenings taking the stress off of you and increasing your odds of selecting qualified tenants that will treat your property with respect.
3. Implement Regular Property Inspections: Regular inspections are important for preserving the condition of your rental property and preventing damages from going undetected. By conducting periodic inspections, you can ensure any problems are identified early on and dealt with quickly, before they become a larger problem. A property management company can communicate with tenants, assist in performing these inspections at regular intervals, and ensure any necessary repairs are made in a timely manner, further protecting your investments.
4. Respond to Maintenance Requests Professionally and Promptly: All properties periodically need repairs made due to normal wear and tear. When a leak is discovered or another minor issue, if it is left go for too long it could result in significant damage to your property. As such, it is important to encourage tenants to report any repair needs immediately. However, most landlords are overwhelmed with maintenance requests and may make their tenants feel frustrated or inadvertently discourage them from reporting the problem until it is more severe. Worse yet, tenants that are left with a maintenance issue for too long could take matters into their own hands and end up damaging your property while attempting to fix the problem.

   This can all be avoided by trusting a property management company to handle all repair/maintenance requests. Ideally, a professional property management company will have an efficient system in place so that tenants know where to go for help and are always treated in a professional manner. Additionally, since the professionals come with a plethora of connections, they will ensure that the request is handled quickly and cost-effectively, saving you money on repairs and damage, as well as increasing tenant satisfaction.

5. Educate Tenants Prior To Move in Day: Another way to protect your property is by taking the time to educate your tenants prior to move in day. Ensure that they are aware of what is expected of them and how to properly care for your property. The reality is that some tenants may not be familiar with how to properly clean certain surfaces or how to operate your appliances, leading to accidental damage that could’ve been prevented by simple preventative education. While a busy property owner may not have the extra time to handle tenant education, a professional property management company can ensure that each tenant is provided with a check list of reference materials such as a copy of the lease agreement, maintenance instructions, cleaning guidelines, expectations, and where they can call for help or questions. The property manager may also conduct a short demo with new tenants on how to operate different appliances in the home. Doing this will help give your tenants the information they need to properly care for your property and decrease their chances of unintentionally damaging it.

In conclusion, while there is no one-size-fits-all solution to avoid tenants damaging your property, following the above steps can help you protect yourself from liability and keep your property in tip-top condition. A property management company can assist in all aspects of these steps from drafting a comprehensive lease agreement, to handling tenant screenings, to maintenance requests, and much more. By utilizing the resources of a professional property management company, you can rest easy knowing your rental property is in safe hands.