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It Is Better To Renovate Before Renting Out After Tenants Vacate A House

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Rental apartments or houses are left in a state of disrepair most of the time by the tenants when they move out, these make the house look dilapidated and low-valued.

A conscious effort needs to be put in place by the management company/landlord to ensure constant repairs are carried out by both the tenant and landlord as stated in the tenancy agreement. These repairs should include plumbing, wardrobes/cabinets, electrical fixtures, doors, and keys, etc. The management company/landlord should visit the tenant periodically as stated in the agreement (could be quarterly, bi-annually, or yearly). This will ensure that the house is not dilapidated. A dilapidated rental needs a lot more money to renovate the apartment or house when the tenant moves out.

In an ideal situation, the landlord will have to put things right each time a tenant packs out before letting the house out to the next occupant. Most times renovating your house before renting them out helps bring out the beauty and functionality. This has proven to help minimize rent void which the landlord may suffer. A functional house appeals to tenants who are not willing to spend too much on house repairs before moving in. It also brings general satisfaction to both tenants and landlords. This is the same reason most tenants request a newly built house from their agent while searching.

A renovated apartment/house attracts better quality tenants. These are tenants that appreciate quality and therefore take good care of your house. This kind of tenant also pays their rent on time.

 A house in a good condition requires the tenant to inspect and sign a checklist. Thereafter pay a refundable caution deposit.  This deposit is refundable to the tenant in full or parts depending on the state of the house on exit. However, this is not always the case as the caution deposit might not be enough to repair even half of the damages left behind by some tenants. This might be very discouraging to the landlord who carries out such repairs frequently due to transient tenants. A better fix to this problem is routine visits and inspections of your property and make sure all damages are repaired promptly by the tenant or landlord (depending on the nature of the damage and responsible party).

Try to select responsible tenants that will live in your house for at least 3 years, this helps to maximize your income while spending minimally on routine maintenance/renovation after every tenant vacates the rental property. A renovated house brings less maintenance for the landlord and tenant. So the landlord will have fewer headaches from tenants calling about one maintenance issue or the other.

Also, use the opportunity of a vacant house/apartment to do a thorough electrical inspection, plumbing inspection, roof inspection, sewer or septic system inspection, foundation or structural inspection, fire security, etc as per prevailing building regulations. Ensure to carry out fumigation of the roof, interior, and exterior of the house.


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