Jacksonville Property Management Blog

How to Prevent Tenant Damages to Your Rental Property

Alt-tag: A house for rent sign.

You can indeed earn a lot of money by renting your property to tenants. But, you can also lose a lot of money if those tenants keep damaging your property! So, it just goes without saying that your job as a landlord will be to minimize those damages as much as possible. Don't worry; doing this is possible as there are many things you can do to prevent tenant damages to your rental property! 

The important thing to remember is that you can't expect your property to remain the same (and to have the same value) forever. It is usual for properties to change after all the wear and tear caused by different tenants. However, that doesn't mean you should stop trying to make it extraordinary (especially if that is your only source of income). So, do your best to prevent tenant damages to your rental property as much as possible! Here is how you can do that.

Create a strict lease agreement 

Nobody likes to be strict. But, sometimes, if you want to be respected, you just have to be. The same thing applies to renting out your property. For your tenants to be respectful of your property, you need to ensure they get a strict lease agreement, and more importantly, you must ensure they understand it. That is one of the best landlord tips we can give you! 

 

For instance, you should specify the tenant's obligations in your lease agreement. Whether that be mowing the lawn, cleaning the pool, or something third - you must write it down. Moreover, write down the things forbidden in your rental property (smoking, having pets, DIY-ing, organizing parties, etc.). 

 

Of course, you don't have to be too strict if you don't want to, but it is important to clarify things with your tenants immediately to prevent tenant damage to your rental property. 

Tenant screening is a must 

Even if you don't live in the home you rent, it is still your home, and you don't want anything wrong to happen to it. But, it just goes without saying that damages to your property are bound to happen if you have bad tenants. Luckily, there is an easy way to prevent this from happening - do a thorough tenant screening before they call getmovetoday.com movers and move in. 

 

And, how does one do that? That is, how does one screen or background check the tenants? One does that by asking the potential tenant for a landlord recommendation letter. If the previous landlord says this particular tenant is prone to violation and eviction, that is your red flag. Moreover, another way to screen your future tenant is to check his (or her) credit score. Don't be lazy - you must do all this to prevent tenant damages to your rental property. 

Charge a security deposit 

There is nothing wrong with charging a security deposit! That is one of the best ways to tenant-proof your rental property and ensure its protection from damage! It is simple - all renters want to get their money back. This way, you will be encouraging them not to 'wrong' your home if they want to get a full refund. 

 

But, keep in mind that you must set the right price for that security deposit. It mustn't be too low as buyers will not care about that money, and thus, they will not care about your rental property. And, it mustn't be too high as buyers will not be able to afford it. The best price should be somewhere around your monthly rent. In other words, if you are charging $1,000 monthly for your rental, you should also charge this amount for your deposit!

Conduct a tenant orientation 

When you find a good tenant, you should conduct a tenant orientation. That means welcoming the tenants on their move-in day. Of course, it is polite to offer help with moving, but most tenants come with professional movers. Moreover, you don't have to worry about damaging the property on the first day - experts can prevent this by handling all the heavy lifting, unpacking, and furniture assembling.

 

But, once they leave, that is when you should start conducting a tenant orientation. Use this time to show your tenants everything about the property, tell them about essential rental policies, and agree on certain obligations (yours and theirs). Moreover, don't be afraid to emphasize the importance of keeping the property damage-free if they want to get their deposit back. 

 

Just as previously mentioned, don't worry about being too strict. You need to be if you want to prevent tenant damages to your rental property! Show your renters how serious you are about your property, and they will certainly respect you and your property move. 

Have preventive inspections 

One of the last but in no way the least important things you should do to prevent damages to your rental property is to have a preventive inspection every once in a while. You should do this even if you think you attracted the best renters any renter can have. Don't just meet your tenants on the move-in day and never show your face again. If you do that, you can't blame the tenants for all the damages. Sometimes damages happen on their own, and it is your job to fix them, not the tenants'. 

 

Regular home inspections will work in your favor. They will show your tenants that you are an earnest landlord and make them think twice before they damage anything on purpose. Furthermore, if something does happen, you will be able to fix it before the damage gets more prominent. So, once a month, or once every three months, call your renters (don't just invade your privacy) and tell them that you want to check the property. 

 

As you have seen, there are many things you can do to prevent tenant damage to your rental property. You just have to be invested in that property, find good-quality tenants, and set strict rules. 

Meta Description: Looking for ways to prevent tenant damages to your rental property? Look no more – just keep on reading for some good tips and tricks.

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