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What are Common Repairs to Complete When a Tenant Leaves?

Dustin Edwards • April 22, 2022

See the Common Repairs Once a Tenant Leaves

As much as we want to keep long term tenants, it's an unavoidable fact that at some point you will have some vacancies. There will always be some sort of maintenance that will be needed to complete before putting your rental unit back onto the market. 


Below are a few repairs that will need your attention before listing your rental as well as potential upgrades to compete with a more modern market.


Flooring

One of the first things you may want to look at is the property’s flooring. Do a thorough inspection of all the rooms. Depending on what kind of flooring you have there may be no maintenance required other than a simple cleaning.


If your rental has tile flooring, make sure there are no broken tiles as this can cause injury to future tenants. Making sure the grout between the tiles can help reduce bacteria and mold which can cause bad odors.


Older homes tend to have wood flooring, if this is the case then having them be bright and shiny can be attractive to new tenants. Sometimes a proper deep clean is all you need to bring life back to dull hardwood flooring. If your previous tenant wasn’t vigilant about pets or dirt on the wood floor, you may have too many scratches and may require a refinish.

Wood flooring


If your Long Beach rental has carpeting, make sure to replace it if it is moldy, unsanitary, or ripped. Although there is no law that governs aesthetics, if the carpet is stained or very old we would recommend replacing it in order to increase its appeal. 


Vinyl and Linoleum should only be replaced when needed, or if you would like to change the aesthetic of the rental by replacing old vinyl and linoleum with a more modern pattern that can last 10 - 25 years for vinyl and 20 - 40 for linoleum.


Paint

When a tenant moves out of your rental, you may inspect the walls and think to yourself that the paint looks fine, and you may not need to repaint. Looks can be deceiving however, a closer inspection can reveal faded paint, that can make a room look dull and unappealing. If you find cracks or holes, this is the time to patch them up. Old paint can absorb odors from the previous tenant. A fresh coat of paint is highly attractive to potential tenants. The look and smell of fresh paint on the walls can make your rental feel newer and brighter. Keeping the colors of the paint simple neutral colors like light gray or white is an easy and affordable choice for rentals. As you would rarely require more than a couple coats of paint to get desired results. Just be sure to not paint over electrical outlets and switches as the pain can cause them to become faulty.


Cleaning

It goes without saying that a clean rental is necessary to attract new tenants. Eliminating bad odors, dust and grime is critical for the success of your rental. You only get one first impression. In addition to general cleaning, you will want to pay attention to less obvious parts of the rental. Fan blades, window blinds, and light fixtures can accumulate dust, which can trigger allergies and contribute to bad odors. In a kitchen, the microwave, the inside of the refrigerator and the kitchen sink need the most care as they tend to hold the majority of foul odors. Be sure to replace or clean the filter for the stove hood as well. Once you’ve reached the bathrooms, check for mold or mildew. Take care of these issues immediately as they can cause health problems for your tenants. This can be a result of poor ventilation, check the bathroom exhaust fan if you have one, and consider having one installed if you don’t. Finally if can access the AC filter clean or replace it to have fresh cool air when showing the rental to future tenants. If you don’t have access to the air filter contact a handyman or HVAC company to replace them.


General Maintenance

While inspecting the rental make sure to take note of any general maintenance that needs to be kept up with. If the showers or faucets are leaking or if any of the drains are backed up, you may need to call a plumber or handyman to fix the problem, or replace the faucets if needed. If you are providing any appliances as added amenities in your rental, make sure they are working appropriately. Common issues can be a dishwasher leak, or a break in the water line for the refrigerator. If you don’t provide appliances to your tenants now would be the time to consider it. Electrical outlets are some of the more important aspects of general maintenance. Not only should you make sure the standard outlets read 110v. You should use this opportunity to upgrade some outlets to outlets that incorporate USB sockets.


If you need more information about how to prepare your rental after a tenant moves out  feel free to call us at (562) 888-0247 or feel free to fill out our
free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.


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By Dustin Edwards January 10, 2025
Having clear communication with your tenant is essential for maintaining a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. By being transparent in all relevant interactions, landlords can prevent misunderstandings while resolving repairs and disputes efficiently while improving tenant satisfaction. Having good communication with your tenant is beneficial for landlords too. Effective communication also protects your investment property. Remember that while your tenant is living in the property, landlords need to take care of the repairs. Below are the three best things to do during tenant communications. Prompt Responses Addressing tenant concerns quickly is essential for building trust and maintaining a positive relationship. Tenants feel valued when landlords respond quickly, knowing that their needs are being prioritized. Building this trust not only enhances your tenant’s satisfaction it lowers the possibility of conflicts or misunderstandings to arise. This ultimately creates a healthy and successful rental experience for you and your tenant. Some of the most common inquiries will oftentimes include repair requests, among others. As an example; if your tenant reports a leak under their faucet and the repair is delayed, this can be damaging to your landlord-tenant relationship, as well as your property. If left ignored, that leak can result in hundreds of dollars in water damage and a vacancy . Which can further affect our bottom line negatively. For landlords with multiple properties, this can become difficult to keep track of. A property manager can help with scheduling repairs and communicating with your tenant on your behalf. Document Everything Keeping a detailed record of all interactions with your tenant is an important element when managing a property. There are many choices for documentation including email, text, or written notices. Although many property management companies and landlords have opted to use apps or dedicated tenant portals to log communications. A great example, for instance, a tenant may claim they’d reported a repair issue that was never addressed, if everything is to be documented, both you and the tenant would have a copy of the request. Maintaining transparency with tenants. Having thorough documentation ensures agreements and requests between all parties are clearly tracked. Documenting communications with your tenant provides landlords with a foundation for addressing misunderstandings, or disputes if and when they arise. Provide Regular Updates Regular updates show tenants that their landlord is organized and has an attentive approach to managing their property. Giving tenants ample time for maintenance, inspections or policy changes is a simple way to build trust with your tenants while showing your professionalism. Giving tenants advanced notices reassures them that you’re aware of how changes can affect them and you understand that time might be needed in order to adjust. Surprises are best kept for birthday parties. Proactively notifying tenants of changes helps clear the communication channels and minimizes disruptions which helps tenants feel valued and satisfied. These small yet consistent efforts can contribute to a positive tenant stay, which can encourage lease renewals and long-term tenancy. Additionally, having a good relationship with your tenants can give you a great reputation which can provide you with leads when looking to fill a vacancy . It cannot be understated the importance of communication for a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. Even if your tenant may not agree with some of the decisions a landlord needs to make, by giving your tenants ample time to process the change tenants generally are more accepting of said change. If you’re having trouble communicating with your tenants or if you need help managing Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .
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