5 Essential Steps To Take To Prepare For A New Tenant

After you have conducted proper tenant screening and have chosen a tenant to move in, the next step you will take will depend on factors such as the condition of your property and whether or not potential tenants are receiving any form of government support. You should particularly be concerned about the state of your property at this point, with these 5 things to consider specifically:

#1. Repairs

You’ll have to repair any damage to the structure of the property. This could include a hole in the wall or even a broken window. You’ll also have to make sure that there are no safety or healthy violations such as non-functional carbon monoxide and smoke detectors or rotting/decayed wood.

#2. Clean the property

This is very necessary, especially if you are going to do an apartment turnover (when there was a former tenant living in your property). You will want to make sure the property is cleaned thoroughly, with a focus on areas such as the toilet, bath-tub, refrigerator and stove.

#3. Collect first month’s rent

You should always make sure you collect the first month’s rent plus a security deposit before the renter moves into your property. If the tenant does not pay his rent for the first month on time, this is a strong sign that you are likely to have payment issues in the future.

#4. Change Locks

Before a new tenant moves in, make sure to change the locks on the doors. This is done to protect the new tenant’s property, and keep them safe. You do not want an old renter to have access to the new tenant’s apartment as you could be held legally responsible for this. All you have to do is spend a relatively small amount of money on new locks, to avoid potentially serious problems.

#5. Go over the contract and have the tenant sign the agreement.

You should go over the contract agreement with the tenant, section by section so that they will understand, completely, what terms they are agreeing to. Once you have gone over the whole contract with the tenant and answered any questions raised, you and the tenant can sign the contract agreement.

#6. If required, have the property inspected

Depending on the law of your region, you may need to have the property inspected before a tenant can move in. Some regions only require an inspection the first time the property is rented, while some others require this to be done every four to five years, and some require it every time a new tenant moves into a property. It’s very important to know your region’s rules and abide by them.

Conclusion

Finally, it is advisable to provide the tenant with your contact info. This will be a means of communication that will allow them to reach you if they have a question or complaint.  It could be a phone number or an email address.