How to Maintain Your Rental Property

Upkeep Media • March 30, 2024

One of your major responsibilities as a landlord is maintaining the upkeep of your rental. You are legally required to keep a livable living space for your renters. To help you provide a rental in an excellent state, you need to conduct routine maintenance.

Compared to a residential home, rental homes require much more frequent inspections and maintenance, especially multi-family properties with a huge number of residents staying in several units.

This article will provide information on what tasks tenants must perform to ensure that they are creating a habitable space for renters to live in. The more you take care of your rental spaces, the slower the wear and tear. Keep reading to learn more!

What Property Maintenance Responsibilities Should a Landlord Be Mindful Of?

Landlords are expected to meet a standard when it comes to rental property maintenance. Under the landlord-tenant laws, legal guidelines are presented that landlords must comply with.

Certainly! Here's a revised version:

Landlord duties vary across states, but there are common obligations that landlords are generally expected to fulfill.

Provide trash bins

Your rental space must promote a healthy environment and to ensure that proper hygiene is maintained, garbage receptacles must be distributed around the property. The size and number of these containers will depend on how many renters are occupying the unit and how often the trash collection is scheduled.

trash bin with paper on the ground around it and one paper inside the trash bin

You also need to check with local laws since some municipalities will require landlords to create enclosures around the trash bins. Learn what these regulations are so you will adhere to what is required.

Supply running water

Since running water is a basic need, you should ensure that you have a steady supply. Renters must be able to access running water to maintain the cleanliness of toilets, showers, and sinks. Further, water heaters must be available to make it easy for renters to obtain hot water anytime they need it.

Comply with building codes

Another duty of landlords is ensuring that tenants stay in a safe and healthy rental space. Landlords are expected to perform regular inspections and maintenance, such as:

Finding resolution for mold issues, lead paint issues, and pest infestations
Dealing with broken pipes and malfunctioning electrical system
Scheduling fixes for foundation problems

They should also ensure that safety measures are in place by providing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and ensuring that the number of occupants does not exceed what is stated in the lease agreement.

Strive to keep common areas well-maintained

If you have a multi-family complex, you will often have designated areas where renters gather. Landlords must perform daily maintenance to keep these common spots clean.

Interior of an unfurnished property with hardwood floors

Safety must also be prioritized by regularly inspecting stairs, banisters, and floors. Proper lighting must also be installed to deliver safety to residents.

Conduct property repairs

Attending repairs is a great strategy to keep your renters for the long term. No one wants to settle in a rental unit with a lot of property damage.

Should the damage be a result of a tenant’s neglect or abuse, you can still schedule the repairs, but deduct the repair fees from the security deposit. The same goes for damage caused by pets. For damage caused by wear and tear, landlords must spend on these repairs.

Inspect whether vital services are up and running

Your home systems must be in top-notch condition so renters can enjoy uninterrupted comfort from air conditioning and heating systems, plumbing, and electrical. If issues arise, you must prioritize repairs to limit inconvenience as much as possible.

What Are the Legal Ways That Tenants Can Help With Property Maintenance?

Although we often hear of landlord responsibilities, tenants also have their share of duties to maintain the rental space they are staying in.

Generally, renters must do the following:

Check that the rental is safe from hazards

Renters must be proactive in keeping the emergency exits from any barrier since fire can break out at any time or an earthquake can occur. For easy outside access, exits must be open. Residents must also avoid tampering with smoke or carbon monoxide detectors so it remains functional.

living room with a large picture window, white bookcase, and a brown piano

Follow the building and housing codes

Renters must adhere to the property policies stated in the lease agreement. If only a designated number of people are allowed to occupy the rental home, then they should not allow more people to stay in for safety reasons.

Limits also exist to keep the rental from absorbing too much wear and tear since more occupants can lead to the natural decline of the unit. Additionally, more residents lead to higher utility costs which landlords may find costly if they include the utility bills in the rental payments.

Keep mold from growing

Since mold can multiply with excess moisture, tenants must limit it by switching on fans or opening bathroom windows. If mold continues to thrive, then renters must report the situation to the landlord so proper remediation is performed.

Reminders for Maintenance Responsibilities

As a landlord, you must not add clauses in the lease that indicate renters will take full responsibility for maintaining the rental or addressing repairs. Both parties must agree on what maintenance tasks to be fulfilled. If damages occur that result from tenant abuse or neglect, then landlords can collect for repair fees.

Keeping up with your maintenance duties can be challenging for busy landlords. A good alternative is hiring a reliable support team, such as AIM Real Estate Management. Contact us today!

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