1. Prepare for periodic inspections
We’re always saying how important regular inspections are for a let property. We don’t mean stopping by every week, but scheduling them in with your tenants so that they know when to expect you. If you can start the year by agreeing on specific dates for periodic inspections, you’ll already be off to a more organized start.
2. Send requests via email
Writing out any correspondences as an email makes for a better way of keeping track. Leaving a note or sending a letter leaves you no record. You could make a photocopy or scan it, of course, but there is still no proof that the tenant ever received it. With an email, you not only have that record in the ‘sent’ folder of your account, but it’s also much easier to find a specific correspondence by using the search function.
3. Respond to tenants ASAP
If you receive an email or a text message from a tenant, there’s no need to leave them waiting too long. Be courteous enough to let them know that you have received their message and are looking into any requests. Reassuring them that you are aware of the situation will put their minds at ease.
4. Review your letting agent
Have a think about who you are paying to manage your property. Are they charging a fair price and are they fulfilling the tasks expected of them? If you pay your agent to perform periodic inspections on your behalf, it may be worth checking in with the tenant to confirm that they are actually doing so. The last thing you want is for your tenants to feel you are ignoring any maintenance issues when you never found out about them in the first place.
5. Stay on top of property maintenance
As soon as you become aware of anything that needs fixing in the property, make plans to have a professional take a look. Whether it’s a broken boiler or loose floorboard if it’s down in the tenancy agreement as your responsibility then get it sorted. The likelihood of the problem getting worse will increase the longer you leave it, which may end up costing even more to fix.
6. Evaluate who you use for maintenance repairs
It comes in useful to have a trusted professional to call in an emergency. Having a good relationship with a local tradesperson can help you get better rates as a returning customer. However, you should always gather a few quotes to compare, so that you know you’re still paying an acceptable price for the work being done.
You can also get a property manager in Coconut Grove like Mia Luxe, so they can take care of maintenance repairs and you don’t have to worry anymore about that.
7. Research energy bill suppliers
If you include the cost of energy bills with the rent then check up on what other suppliers are offering. Once your contract is up with your current supplier it may save you/your tenant a fair amount by switching. You never know you might even get a better offer to convince you to stay put!
8. Make a note of important dates
Have everything written down, whether it’s on the calendar in your kitchen, in a diary, or on your phone. Set up reminders for when important dates are approaching, to save having to track down the information in old emails and letters. This will help you to prepare for renewals for energy suppliers and tenancy agreements, appliance maintenance checks and more.
9. Review your tenancy agreements
The law can change at any time, and you will want to make any changes to your tenancy agreements to reflect this, in order to remain compliant
10. Update contact details
Have you recently checked that you have the right phone numbers and email addresses for your tenants and letting agent? If you’ve not been in touch for a while, it’s a good idea to confirm everything is still correct. The same goes if you’ve changed any details – be sure to let them know.
11. Are you providing your tenants with everything they need?
There’s a vital checklist that landlords should follow when starting a new tenancy. There are certain documents you legally need to provide to tenants when they start renting from you.
As well as legal requirements, remember to sort out any extras that will help the tenancy run as smoothly as possible, such as swapping contact details and arranging inspections in advance!
12. Do a thorough clean between tenancies
We know void periods mean no rent is coming in, but they can be useful. Take advantage of any gaps between tenancies and give the property a good clean. A vacant property will allow you to get in every corner in every room and make sure it’s ready for the next tenants.