Owning a rental property requires putting time and effort into turning it into a habitable space for tenants. However, despite having functional home systems and the latest appliances, your investment property also needs to provide safety for the residents.
As a landlord, it is your responsibility to secure your rentals and tenants against potential intruders or burglars. These situations can be dangerous and will require you to take certain actions to ensure the safety of your rental and your tenants.
Our team at House In Order Property Management has written this article to help you understand the important tips needed to ensure the safety of your tenants and rental property. Keep reading to learn more!
8 Tips to Ensure Safety
Keep the Main Doors Secure
As entry points, trespassers use the front and back doors to enter the property. As a landlord, you should ensure that their doors are solid and not made from flimsy materials. They should take care to use deadbolts so the doors cannot be opened easily.
When an old renter leaves, you should reset the passcode for digital door locks or rekey the locks. An evicted tenant might find a way to enter the premises again so it is critical to change the locks when the tenancy ends.
Invest in Security Systems
Protecting your property requires installing complete security features, such as alarms and surveillance cameras. Offering a rental with a built-in security system can help you attract more renters since safety is a priority for most. The more safe your unit is, the more likely renters will stay for the long term.
Additionally, intruders are unlikely to break inside highly secure properties. A reliable security system prevents incidents of burglary and trespassing, which allows you to safeguard your investment property.
On the day of move-in, show your tenants how to activate the rental security systems and brief them on the security procedures and property policies included in the lease agreement to ensure their safety.
Install External Lighting
Putting up lights can discourage burglars from entering since their presence can easily be detected. Plan to place motion sensor lights in the dim parts of the property. Also, you should learn to identify which areas are potential hiding spots so you can put up lights in those key places.
Perform Thorough Tenant Screening
Aside from the typical danger presented by intruders, you can also be at potential risk from tenants who don’t pay the rent on time. To avoid experiencing this situation and choose the best suitable renters, you should conduct a thorough tenant screening.
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To protect your rental space from tenant damage, it is best to specify the terms and conditions of the lease agreement. This results in less conflict and limits property damage. For example, if you mentioned that your rental has a pet-free policy then they know that bringing in pets is not allowed.
By ensuring you are accepting responsible residents in your property, you help keep your rental safe from abuse or neglect.
Conduct Property Maintenance
When you schedule regular property inspections, you can spot potential issues right away before they escalate. You can arrange for vendors to handle various concerns including pest infestation, mold, or leaked pipes.
Regular maintenance of your property is a top priority that helps you save in the long run. Fixing tiny problems early can cost less rather than doing them later which leads to steep repair fees.
Cultivate Good Relations With Your Neighbors
Establishing friendly relations with neighbors also keeps your rental safe. These neighbors can inform you of any potential risks, especially if you are a long-distance landlord. They can keep a close eye on your property when they find suspicious activities going on.
Aside from that, neighbors can also be a great support system when emergencies occur. They can contact the authorities if a fire breaks out or when urgent situations happen.
Be Familiar With Local and State Laws
Protecting your rental property requires knowing the local and state laws to ensure you adhere to building codes and health safety. You also need to learn about the Fair Housing Act as this must be considered during the tenant screening process.
You must provide equal housing opportunities to prospective renters and must not discriminate against anyone who is part of the protected classes.
In addition, you must also note that even if you have a no-pet policy, renters with service animals are still allowed to bring them to the property since these animals are not considered pets.
Engage the Services of a Property Manager
Busy landlords can hardly find the time to fulfill their duties and this can result in property neglect. To ensure your rental property is damage-free, opt to hire a trusted property management company to take care of the day-to-day maintenance tasks and tenant screening process.
Managing your property single-handedly can be a challenge since you are responsible for addressing all property and tenant issues. It is recommended to partner with an experienced professional team like House In Order Property Management to help you navigate the demanding nature of rental property management.
Bottom line
As a landlord, it should be your top priority to keep your investment safe. Prioritizing rental property safety leads to having long-term tenants. To accomplish this, you need to invest in security systems, nurture friendly relations with neighbors, perform detailed tenant screening, and thorough property maintenance.
Further, you can gain peace of mind simply by hiring a reliable property management company to streamline your rental operations. House In Order Property Management can screen tenants, conduct walkthrough inspections, coordinate property repairs, manage tenant concerns, enforce the lease agreement, and more.
Contact us today to learn more about our services!
