With the holiday season upon us, it is time to prepare for the busy days ahead. As a landlord, creating an effective plan for the holidays can help save you from late night tenant calls and interrupted family dinners.
The following tips will help you manage your properties effectively during the holidays.
Create A List Of Contacts
If you plan to travel during the holidays, make sure you have a list of contacts for your tenants to call in the case of an emergency or maintenance need. It is a good idea to have a handyman available and a backup HVAC and plumbing contractor for larger emergencies.
Be sure your tenants know who to call first and when they should still contact you. This will save you from fielding calls during your time with family and friends.
If you are leaving the country or will be 100 percent unreachable, it may be worth hiring someone to be on call for you during your time away. Depending on how responsible your tenants are you can either give them direct contact to contractors or hire a middle-man to manage requests.
Do A Safety Walkthrough
The holidays might find your tenants cooking more than normal, entertaining guests, and, in general, putting more stress on the rental property. It is a good idea to do a safety walkthrough before the season is in full swing.
Have important items like gas lines and smoke detectors inspected. If there are any fire extinguishers on the property, be sure they have not expired. Check over external and hallway lights at multi-family properties.
Winterize The Property
If your rental properties are located in part of the country that sees colder winter temperatures with the chance for ice and snow, you will want to ensure the property is winterized before the holidays. Schedule tree trimming to prevent weak branches from falling during snow or ice storms. Be sure all the outdoor faucets are covered and hoses unattached.
It is also a good idea to provide your tenants with a list of tips for the winter. Include some of the following information:
● When the weather is dipping to extreme lows, drip faucets overnight to prevent pipes from freezing
● Never leave hoses attached to outdoor faucets in freezing temperatures
● If you are leaving on a trip, do not turn your heat completely as this can cause pipes to freeze
● Contact information in case of an overnight emergency (such as burst pipes)
It is also a good idea to line up snow removal and de-icing services for multi-unit properties.
4: Send Holiday Thank-You Cards
As a landlord, one of the best things you can do is retain quality tenants. The less turnover you have the better. Sometimes it’s the small touches that help keep tenants happy and from wanting to leave. This holiday season, take the time to make your tenants feel appreciated by sending them a holiday card.
If you only manage a few properties, you can personalize each card with a big thank-you for your tenant’s business. For landlords with only a couple of properties, adding a small gift card is a nice touch.
By preparing ahead of time for the busy holiday season, you can relax and enjoy the festivities.
This article was contributed by our good friends at TurboTenant
TurboTenant is revolutionizing the rental process by providing savvy landlords with cutting-edge technology that’s intuitive, powerful, fast and free. Through one-click online rental marketing, fully integrated tenant screening, and customizable property websites, TurboTenant is changing the way landlords manage property.
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