A great way to reduce heavy repair expenses is to incorporate regular inspections for your Torrance rental units.
Spotting minor issues and taking prompt action will equate to lower repair fees. Conducting regular inspections will make you more trustworthy in the eyes of your tenants. The more habitable your Torrance rental home is, the more it will encourage your tenants to renew their leases and rent long-term.
Note that conducting property inspections requires planning. You want to honor the renters’ privacy and let them have quiet enjoyment of the rental space. This is one of the tenant’s rights under the tenant-landlord laws. So, before you enter a rental property for inspection, be sure that your tenants are aware.
In this post, we are going over everything you need to know about property inspections in Torrance.
Scheduling an Inspection in your Torrance Rental Property
As a property owner, under the law, you must keep your rental habitable. So, conducting regular property inspections is one of your responsibilities.
Just keep in mind that tenants have a right to privacy.
It’s vital to prioritize your tenants’ privacy and comfort. Disturbances can lower their quality of life. You must be attentive and keep within proper boundaries. Though instances may arise where you want to examine your Torrance unit right away, your tenants’ peace of mind comes first.
The Right Time to Inspect Your Torrance Rental Home
Providing notices to your tenants gives you access to inspect the units. But as a general rule, unless necessary, opt for less interruptions in the day to day living of your renters.
There’s a right time to perform your inspections.
Here are the critical periods to inspect your Torrance rental unit:
1. During the Move-in and Move-Out Period
Prior to the occupancy, it’s important to document the state of your Torrance property. This way, you can keep track of the damages that may result from tenant neglect, abuse or normal wear and tear.
You can then make the proper deductions on the renter’s security deposit.
When you have proper documentation during the move-in period, disputes are less likely to happen.
Just as important is conducting a final walk-through inspection during the move-out phase. This informs you of which areas have been damaged and you can have a basis of comparison. Documentation is also required when performing the move-out inspection.
Be sure your tenants know that you perform move-in and move-out inspections. This will encourage them to take better care of the rental knowing that you’re actively monitoring the property’s condition.
2. When Monitoring Unofficial Renters
Your tenants may sublet your Torrance unit without asking your permission. At other times, they may allow their friends or family members to overstay. It may start out as a temporary situation, but the arrangement can easily turn permanent without your knowledge.
It’s best to craft a clear leasing agreement to address this common matter. You may want to include that your authority should be sought first through written form. As part of your rental security, proper screening must also be done. The new renter must also affix a signature in the leasing contract to understand the terms and conditions of living in your Torrance rental unit.
Quick inspections can be done to ensure that no new tenants are living in your rental. You can see if there are people staying there for some time if you spot new furniture and extra belongings.
3. Seasonal Inspections to Assess Maintenance Concerns
Being a vigilant and alert landlord will pay off. Check on minor issues and have them fixed immediately. Busy tenants may neglect to report leaks and may not spot a growing termite issue.
Being ahead of the situation can lead to plenty of savings.
A good practice is to perform inspections in your Torrance rental after each season changes. Prepare a checklist to address each area and ensure that everything is given the attention it needs.
You can also include property checkups and cleanups after major storms when water and leaves pile up in the gutters.
Bottom Line
Being a landlord means being aware of how your rental property is doing.
Is it in good condition? Are there minor issues that need to be repaired? Are there maintenance problems?
As a landlord, you should be responsible and strive to keep up an impeccable rental home. To do so, be sure to conduct consistent property inspections.
This leads to tenant satisfaction and helps retain their loyalty.
If you need assistance, you can contact Pinnacle Property Management to help you with the upkeep of your Torrance rental home. We offer multiple property management services from marketing, tenant screening, rent collection and providing financial reporting.
We also have a professional team that aids in lease preparation. Most important, we’re committed to performing routine property inspections. We ensure that the rental is operating as it should be and that all tenant and property issues are resolved.
Contact us today for more information.
