Rental property maintenance in Tampa
This is the beginning of a 4-part blog series on rental property maintenance in Tampa, Florida. The first blog, which is today’s topic, covers the importance of annual inspections. In part 2, we will talk about maintenance during tenancy, in part 3 we will discuss what not to do with maintenance don’ts and our final part will highlight how tenants should report maintenance needs to you.
The importance of annual inspections of your rental property
As a landlord, it is important to do an annual inspection of your rental property. At Hoffman Realty, we call them annual property condition reviews. There are three things we always focus on during these annual reviews.
Safety issues:
One reason for annual inspections is that you have the opportunity to get into the property and check for any safety issues. Look for things that could injure your tenants, because you want your tenants to be safe and out of harm’s way in your property. Examples of safety issues might include a loose handrail on the stairs or a balcony. There might be smoke detectors that are not working. These are the safety issues you want to check out during the annual property condition review.
Preventative maintenance:
You have to look for preventative maintenance issues while you are inside the property because these can turn into major concerns if they are left untreated. This type of maintenance can be as simple as installing a new tank kit or a flapper valve in the toilet. You might want to put in some fresh caulk around the bathroom tile so water doesn’t leak in there and get into the wall. Check out the tree branches outside and notice how close they are to your roof. You will want to trim back anything that can cause a roof issue.
Investment items:
Take this opportunity to check for major investment items that might need attention soon. For example, it might be time for your air conditioning system to be replaced. You might need new appliances if they are looking old and battered. Determine when your roof will need to be replaced and whether it’s time for a new paint job on the exterior of the house. Inspect the floors in case your flooring is nearing the end of its lifespan. You want to know these things Rental Property Maintenance in Tampaso you can budget for them. The annual property condition review gives you a great opportunity to plan.
If you have any questions about this blog or any issues related to rental property maintenance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Hoffman Realty.