The heydays of high demand for rental accommodation seem to be waning as Tennessee's rental vacancy rate starts to climb once again.
That means every investment property owner needs to focus even more intently on encouraging lease renewals. Keeping your rental property well-maintained year-round is one way to do that.
Staying on top of your property's maintenance needs requires skillful maintenance coordination, excellent organizational skills, and good communication.
Read on for our top tips on mastering property maintenance for your rental home in Dickson, Tennessee.
1. Create a Calendar of Property Maintenance Tasks
The Tennessee Landlord-Tenant Act dictates that landlords must keep their properties safe and habitable. The best way to achieve this is by setting up a calendar for routine and preventive maintenance.
Necessary routine and seasonal maintenance tasks may include the following:
- Checking carbon monoxide monitors
- Testing smoke detectors
- Servicing HVAC units
- Roof inspections
- Snow removal and lawn care
- Clearing gutters
- Pest control measures
These tasks help prevent small issues from becoming big problems, encourage lease renewals, save you money, and protect the value of your investment property. By staggering the work at intervals over the year, you'll find it much easier to budget for maintenance, too.
2. Conduct Regular Property Inspections Regularly
Routine property inspections are a valuable tool for keeping tabs on rental property maintenance issues. Set up a checklist of things to check during every visit, so you don't overlook anything.
Some things you should always take note of include:
- Interior plumbing fittings
- Insulation of windows and doors
- All safety equipment
- Appliances
- HVAC filters
You can also ask your tenants if they've noticed that anything's in need of repair. Routine property inspections are also a good time to carry out small fixes like replacing the batteries in carbon monoxide detectors.
3. Practice Effective Communications
Communication is key to maintaining your property effectively without inconveniencing your tenants. It's best to give them at least 48 hours notice of your intention to carry out maintenance tasks.
Likewise, building ongoing relationships with local contractors is important for effective property maintenance. Good relationships with these businesses will ensure timely service and may even secure you better prices.
Don't attempt to do major maintenance tasks on your own. You must always work with licensed contractors when it comes to maintaining a rental home.
An online portal for communicating with tenants, vendors, and contractors helps streamline your maintenance coordination. This technology is essential for coordinating emergency repairs promptly, too.
3. Get Expert Help With Maintenance Coordination
Juggling maintenance tasks, rent collections, and all your other landlord tasks can become stressful. Hiring a property manager helps you alleviate this, saving you time and money in the process.
PMI Greater Dickson property management services are supported by over 20 years of property management experience. Our team of experts is ready and willing to help you make light work of maximizing your Tennessee investment property.
Our comprehensive range of services includes property maintenance coordination, routine property inspections, and tenant communications.
Explore an easier way to manage your tasks as a Dickson, Tennessee, landlord today.
