The Wizard of Oz is a beloved movie because most people identify with its simple message that “there’s no place like home.” If that home happens to be governed by a rental/tenant agreement, how that particular space is cared for can be dependant on whether you’re the tenant or the property owner. Tenants aren’t always kind to their rental properties, whether through neglect, willful damage or simply not caring about the cleanliness of their immediate environment. As a property owner, you want to avoid situations where compounding neglect caused by tenants turns into major repairs later on. That may be a responsibility you designate to the company tasked with your property maintenance services.
Define What Tenants Can and Cannot Do to Your Property
Some tenants are great; they pay their bills, they keep quiet, and they take good care of their rental. Other tenants are high maintenance; that could mean they’re constantly complaining, causing issues with neighbours or notoriously late with rent payment. Tenants who want to be helpful by initiating their own improvements can also be an issue. Making changes without permission – whether that’s just repainting or conducting full-scale room renovations – can be a major issue for property owners, especially if the repairs are done shoddily or not up to codes and building standards. A company tasked with providing property maintenance Toronto services needs to provide clear and transparent guidelines to tenants on what they can and can’t do in terms of “improving” the property. A DIY plumber who wants to fix the leaky faucet instead of calling a landlord could cause serious headaches for a property owner by turning small problems into big repairs. That’s why it’s incumbent on the landlord and the company contracted to manage the building to be on top of all property maintenance issues and respond to tenants who require repairs. Whether it’s shampooing the carpet or replacing elements burnt out on the stove, tenants should know that all repairs and improvements must be brought to the attention of the landlord through property maintenance services personnel.
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth the Time and Effort
There are professional tenants who cause nightmares for property owners by gaming the system, using the Landlord-Tenant act to their advantage, gaining financially through unapproved subletting, or even operating illegal air B&B operations. Then there are tenants who may seem like trouble because they’re always reporting issues, but they are in fact helping landlords. A conscientious property owner wants to ensure all rental units are properly maintained, and tenants are the people who have to have convenient ways they can report issues. They also have to have faith that repairs will be done quickly, or they will be forced to act and do things themselves. That could lead to costly property damage. Avoid those situations; hire Ashbridges Property Management to handle property maintenance and put your property in good hands.