Rental Property Maintenance is easily overlooked in times such as these, where money is hard to come by! Maybe your lucky enough to have a property manager who actually inspects your property regularly and informs you of maintenance issues. Who suffers most if your investment property is not maintained? If you think it?s the tenant or the agent, guess again!
Sadly, many property owners refuse to have even major problems repaired. Last week a tenant told us that their current landlord would not even repair a roof leak that had existed for years. So, how much structural damage is being done to that house? Is the leak caused by heavy downpours of rain, or is it a leaking tap or mains water pipe! If your tenant is expected to pay excess water usage as a result of you refusing to repair a leak, guess what! This is how disputes develop.
It?s been like that for years! This is what one tenant told me this week, when referring to water running across their driveway. It turns out the pipes in the bathroom of this investment property have been leaking for three years. The water leak has caused significant structural damage to the home and created unnecessary levels of moisture which in turn attracted white ants, which have all but demolished the deck and the patio. The house is now completely unsaleable because the owner didn?t want to fix the leak!
Tenants have a legal obligation to inform the owner or the owner?s agent of any repairs that are required in the property. It?s no good hiding the fact that something is wrong. If an element is not working on your stove, or your dishwasher won?t work, tell your property manager so they can liquids with the owner and have the problem fixed. We often hear stories of real estate agents who have failed to follow through on maintenance issues. Sometimes investment property owners are faced with enormous repair bills and have to virtually rebuild their homes at the end of a fixed term tenancy!
The best way to ensure your rental property is being maintained is to insist that your property manager visits the property three or four times a year and takes time & date stamped photos that are emailed to you so you can see the current state of your property. This will ensure you?re not having the wool pulled over your eyes!
Most real estate offices will have an online Maintenance Request form facility. This makes it easy for tenants to inform the agent of any issues with the property. If it is an emergency such as an electrical hazard or burst pipe, your lease should state what you can do, or who you can call. Tenants should exercise common sense here and call a plumber or electrician. There is no point calling your property manager at 3am to let them know your toilet is over flowing!
If you own an investment property, consider having it inspected annually for termites, white ants and structural issues. Most property investors neglect to have regular pest inspections, instead opting to wait until it?s too late. Your property manager is not qualified to inspect the property for white ants or structural issues. So, consider a pest inspection or treatment program as part of your investment property maintenance schedule.
Tagged: investment, property, Property Management, Property Manager, Queensland, Rental
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