As a rental property owner, keeping your investment well-maintained should be a top priority. Performing regular upkeep and repairs can help preserve your property’s condition, extend its lifespan, and allow you to charge higher rents. But it’s easy to let certain maintenance tasks slip through the cracks. Using a seasonal checklist is a great way to stay on top of key repair and inspection jobs so you can spot issues early and prevent costly damage down the road. Read on, and we will help you create a seasonal home maintenance checklist.
Why is Home Maintenance Important?
When you operate rental housing, ongoing maintenance should be a pivotal part of your property management strategy. Keeping your rental units well-maintained serves several key purposes:
- Prevents Costly Repairs
Replacing an old roof or HVAC unit can cost thousands, but regular upkeep helps maximize their lifespan. Remember that catching minor issues early often keeps small problems from turning into major repairs or replacements, which saves you money.
- Maintains Asset Value
Keeping your property updated and in good working order preserves its capital value as an investment asset on your books. Neglected property maintenance can drive down property value over time.
- Attracts Top Renters
Tenants want a nice and clean home in good condition. Proactively tackling maintenance shows renters you care and makes your units more rentable at higher prices.
- Limits Tenant Turnover
When you ignore or delay repairs, tenants can get frustrated and move out. Fixing issues promptly improves tenant satisfaction, so they tend to consider renewing their lease.
- Reduces Legal Liability
Landlords have legal responsibilities related to safety and habitability. Consistent upkeep helps you avoid injuries and lawsuits over unsafe conditions. For example, following the snow removal guidelines during winter maintenance is important. Otherwise, you will have to deal with hefty fines.
- Increases Curb Appeal
Curb appeal matters, so exterior maintenance like landscaping, paint, and roofing make a good first impression on prospective renters.
Protecting your rental property investment through savvy maintenance pays dividends in higher returns.
Seasonal Home Maintenance Checklist for Rental Properties
Properly maintaining your rental property should be an ongoing, year-round endeavor. Certain inspection and upkeep tasks should occur every season to keep your investment running smoothly. Here is a breakdown of key maintenance jobs by season:
Winter Maintenance
- Inspect and service furnace/heat system
- Check pipes for leaks; insulate where needed
- Prune trees/bushes away from the windows
- Clean gutters and downspouts thoroughly
- Check the chimney cap and flashing
- Test smoke/CO detectors; replace batteries
- Monitor for ice dams on the roof
Spring Maintenance
- Schedule an annual HVAC tune-up
- Inspect roof; repair damaged shingles
- Check foundations/walkways for cracking
- Test sump pump; clear discharge line
- Open outside hose bibs
- Inspect siding/trim; prep exterior for paint
- Power wash exterior surfaces as needed
- Check window/door seals; re-caulk as needed
- Service lawn equipment; mow and apply pre-emergent
Summer Maintenance
- Monitor roof after storms
- Tend landscaping; prune back bushes/trees
- Schedule an annual chimney cleaning
- Check the irrigation system; adjust as needed
- Clean out the dryer vent and lint trap
- Caulk around sinks/showers if mildew is present
- Touch up exterior paint if needed
Fall Maintenance
- Clean gutters and downspouts
- Service furnace/heat system
- Winterize irrigation system
- Drain/store outdoor hoses
- Inspector exterior siding/brick for cracks
- Prune tree branches overhanging the roof
- Schedule gutter cleaning service
- Weatherstrip doors/windows as needed
- Fertilize lawn
Add this comprehensive seasonal checklist to your property management schedule. Consistent maintenance preserves your property and may deliver higher returns in the long run. If you can’t do it on your own, you need to work with a property management company. Your hired Property Management company in Boston will help schedule your seasonal maintenance needs.
Top 3 Benefits of Preventive Maintenance for Your Rental Property
As a landlord, embracing proactive preventive maintenance offers several advantages over a reactive “fix-it-when-it-breaks” approach. Here are three compelling reasons to implement preventative upkeep on your property:
- Reduce Major Repair Costs
Catching minor issues quickly keeps small problems from mushrooming into major systems failures that demand urgent, expensive repairs—like a leaky roof destroying ceilings or a busted pipe flooding units.
Preventative upkeep identifies issues in their infancy when they’re cheaper and easier to fix. Replacing that old roof every 20 years avoids emergency repairs later to fix structural damage from leaks. Tuning up HVAC equipment annually maximizes efficiency and lifespan over just running it until it dies.
Investing in preventative maintenance reduces emergency repair costs down the road, saving you thousands in replacements that eat into rental profits.
- Maximize Asset Lifespan
Regular inspections, cleaning, adjustments, and part swaps enable you to maximize the operating life of all your rental’s expensive structural systems and components.
Servicing the furnace, patching small leaks quickly, and clearing debris to limit corrosion—these simple tasks extend the lifespan of roofs, siding, mechanicals, and surfaces. These preventative efforts preserve asset value and performance year after year while delays drive down property value.
- Attract and Retain Quality Renters
Tenants expect clean, comfortable, functional living spaces. When things break or wear out, they want prompt fixes. A smoking AC unit or a dysfunctional appliance quickly spurs complaints and bad reviews.
Staying on top of inspections and tune-ups means fewer tenant headaches and work orders. You spot issues before they impact renters, allowing you to schedule maintenance at convenient times. By diligently addressing problems, you create goodwill and happier tenants who renew leases longer.
Preventative maintenance leads to higher occupancy rates and fewer unit turnovers, saving you the costs of preparing, marketing and showing investment properties to prospective renters repeatedly.
Being proactive saves money and headaches for rental property owners. Preventative maintenance is well worth the time and investment. Implementing a comprehensive seasonal checklist prevents headaches for you and your tenants down the road.
Final Words
As a rental housing provider, ongoing preventative maintenance should be a cornerstone of your property management program. Using a comprehensive seasonal checklist helps you methodically tackle inspection and upkeep tasks that preserve your valuable investment. Addressing minor repairs quickly averts major issues later while optimizing system lifespans. Moreover, tenants appreciate well-kept units, translating to higher rents and less turnover.
