preparing a rental unit for a new tenant, don’t overlook or forget a single item. Unless you are a seasoned pro, I recommend using an inspection checklist to guide you through the process and assist you with final inspection. Here’s a list of what to go over in preparation for your new tenant:
When you have legal possession, remove any personal possessions and trash left behind by the previous tenant. Be sure to follow any state or local laws providing proper legal notice to the former tenant and giving them any required opportunity to reclaim abandoned personal property.
Check all plumbing (toilets, faucets, and supply line and drains) for proper operation. Make sure that nothing leaks, the plumbing has the proper pressure, and everything drains adequately. Make sure that the pressurized supply lines for toilets, washing machines, and ice makers are braided stainless steel of the highest quality and in good condition, because the failure of a pressurized water line is one of your greatest risks for extensive property damage.
Test all appliances for proper operation. Run the dishwasher through a full cycle, and look for leaks. Be sure that the oven’s drip pan, broiler pan, and racks are included and spotless. If you have a free-standing oven or range, be sure that the anti-tip bracket is installed. It’s also a good idea to pull out each appliance, vacuum the refrigerator coils, wipe down the entire appliance till it shines, and scrub the floor on which it sits, as well as the adjacent walls and cabinet surfaces.
Try out all hardware. Rekey or change the locks to make sure that they’re operational. Pay attention to all latches and catches, doorknobs and pulls, doorstops, and sliding doors.
Check all windows, including the glass and insect screens, and window coverings. Verify that they’re clean, unbroken, secure, and properly operational. Test all window locks to be sure they work as well. Check for broken seals between the glass and the frame, scratches on doors and window frames, and condensation stains. Window treatments can make your rental property look great, and your tenant will value attractive, functional window coverings. A wide range of affordable window treatments are available; explore all your options to determine what’s most desirable in your area. Choose window coverings that are durable and easy to maintain and that appeal to your prospective tenants. I recommend moderately priced shutters or high-quality vertical or horizontal blinds because they’re much easier to maintain and clean than most drapes or the once-popular cheap white plastic mini-blinds. But don’t be too cost-conscious; I suggest that you splurge for a little more quality here, especially in the rooms where tenants will spend most of their time.
Inspect all walls, ceilings, and baseboards. Confirm that the paint and/or wall coverings provide proper coverage, without holes, cuts, scratches, nail pops, or bad seams.
Examine all floor coverings. Make sure that floors are clean and in good condition. All flooring should be properly installed, without bad seams.
Check all bathrooms. Thoroughly clean the toilet, tub, tile grout, shower, sink, mirrors, and cabinets. Check the toilet paper holder and towel bars to be sure that they’re securely mounted and clean. Put a new roll of toilet paper and a paper sanitary ring around each toilet seat in each bathroom as an extra touch — one that is most appreciated in our post-COVID-19 world.
Look over all closets and storage areas. Clean rods, closet dowels, hooks, shelves, lights, floors, and walls. Ensure that all doors open and close properly. Remove and clean those ceiling-mounted lighting fixtures, which often have the shadow of a bug carcass sending a subtle signal to your prospective tenant that their clothes and beloved possessions won’t be safe from attack by insects!
Examine all counters, cabinets, doors, moldings, thresholds, and metal strips. Verify that they’re clean and fully operational, presenting no hazards.
Test smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, lighting, and electrical outlets, including all ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI, also referred to as GFI) and circuit breakers, for proper operation. Make sure that all electrical components work at move-in and thereafter as required by law in your state or local jurisdiction; otherwise, it’s the tenant’s responsibility to notify you of any problems during their tenancy.
Check the fireplace. If your unit has a fireplace, clean out ashes and debris. Periodically have the chimney flue and vent cap inspected by a qualified professional, based on the amount of use and any applicable state or local laws.
Inspect the heating and air conditioning unit(s) for proper operation. Be sure that the thermostat, filters, vents, and registers are in working order. Consider an annual preventive maintenance program if one is cost-effective for your cooling and/or heating system. You may find that your local natural gas utility company offers complimentary inspections of all gas heating and cooking appliances. Contact a professional if necessary. FORGET SECOND CHANCES WHEN IT COMES TO SHOWING A RENTALEarly in my property management career, I learned a valuable lesson about the importance of cleanliness and first impressions. I’d just arrived at a rental property for a management inspection and was speaking to the on-site manager when a prospective tenant entered the rental office and asked to see a vacant unit. She was a local college student out apartment-hunting with her mother. I told my manager to go ahead and show the unit, explaining that I’d follow along if they didn’t mind.Together, we left the rental office. The property grounds were very well maintained, and the on-site manager did a great job of getting to know the prospect’s needs and determining the right unit to show. With the manager’s help, the prospect and her mother asked to see an upstairs unit, away from the street.Everything was going great … until we got to the actual unit. A dirty, cobweb-filled entryway led us to an interior (which hadn’t been tidied in at least a week!) where we could see a large tree branch hanging precariously over the balcony rail and scraping the concrete roof tiles menacingly. Before seeing the unit, the prospective tenant and her mother had been very positive, even discussing how soon the tenant could get approved and move in. After this disappointing experience at the unit entry, they stopped asking questions, barely answered any, and became very noncommittal.Learn from my mistake: Remember that the unit’s cleanliness is paramount. Never show a rental unit without having walked the full route to the rental unit, and be sure to go through the complete interior yourself just before the showing.
Perform a final walk-through of the entire unit for appearance and cleanliness. Be sure to recheck the unit every few days, because dust can settle quickly in a vacant unit. I’ve also seen an unpleasant surprise in the form of dead pests or insects that took their time expiring from recent pest-control efforts. Nothing stops a good conversation with a great prospective tenant faster than stumbling upon a dead bug in the middle of the kitchen floor!
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Preparing Your Rental Unit the Right Way
You may think that you’re saving time and money by allowing a new tenant to lease a rental unit that hasn’t been prepared properly. After all, if Bob doesn’t mind that the unit isn’t rent-ready, why should you? Unfortunately, this strategy isn’t as problem-free as it seems on the surface. In fact, it’s a big mistake. Why? The kind of tenant that a unit that hasn’t been properly prepared attracts is someone who has lower standards and may even be desperate. New tenants who accept a dirty, poorly maintained rental unit surely won’t make any extra effort to leave the property in good condition when they depart.
