A rental property owner’s responsibilities don’t end once they’ve found a tenant for their property. To protect their assets, and ensure that tenants are satisfied, they must conduct regular rental property maintenance.
What needs to be fixed, updated or addressed isn’t always obvious from the outside, though, and relying solely on the tenant reporting issues isn’t always reliable, either.
What can help in this regard is a walkthrough, even while the tenant is occupying the unit. Below, we’ll describe in more detail why property managers do rental walkthroughs while a tenant is occupying a unit, as well as some of the main items on a rental walkthrough checklist.
Check for Lease Violations
A major thing on the rental walkthrough checklist is ensuring that the tenant hasn’t violated the lease in any way. This may seem punitive in nature, but as part of the property management process, conducting a walkthrough is really the only way to ensure nothing wrong is being done.
On the list of things to check for is whether the tenant has any prohibited pets, whether there are additional occupants living there, whether they have a trampoline or any other items that are against the lease terms.
An experienced property management company in Austin will be able to quickly identify these things without being intrusive.
Check for Unreported Damages
A main goal of the rental walkthrough checklist is to ensure that there isn’t any damage that needs to be addressed immediately. Tenants don’t always report damage to the property management company, especially if they caused the damage — even if it’s their responsibility to do so.
This goes beyond just typical rental property maintenance and can include anything from a hole in the wall to a broken fixture. Identifying damage and addressing it in a prompt manner is essential to prevent future and more major damage from occurring, and to keep tenants safe.
By conducting a rental walkthrough while the unit is occupied, versus waiting until it’s vacant, property owners and managers can ensure tenants are following lease requirements, while protecting the property and the people inside it.
Check for Deferred Maintenance
When you work with an experienced property management company in Austin, they will have an entire list of property maintenance tasks that they complete on an ongoing basis. What these items are, of course, depends on the particular situation and the terms of the lease.
That being said, there are some maintenance items that need to be addressed before their typical time. Not only that, but sometimes contracted companies don’t complete the maintenance as they should.
These aren’t always items that tenants will report, especially because they may not even know what property maintenance is required and when. By completing a rental walkthrough checklist while a tenant is occupying the unit, property managers can ensure that all maintenance has been completed — and check to see if additional maintenance is required.
This could be anything from gutter cleaning and landscaping outside, to changing air filters inside.
Some of the other items that are on a typical rental walkthrough checklist are looking for leaks under sinks, evaluating siding for any rotting, seeing whether there are any trees that are touching the house that need to be trimmed, ensuring that all lighting is working properly — and so much more.
Preventative property maintenance is key to addressing issues before they become major problems, so staying on top of it is crucial for rental property owners.
Documenting the Property’s Condition Over Time
Another important reason for conducting walkthroughs is to document the property’s condition at key points in time. Maintaining clear, dated records allows you as the landlord or your property management team to easily reference the property’s state before, during, and after each tenancy.
During every walkthrough, the team should capture detailed notes and photos of both the interior and exterior of the home. This documentation helps verify the property’s starting condition, identify any gradual wear and tear, and pinpoint when changes or damages occurred. Having this historical record on file is invaluable for resolving questions or disputes about tenant responsibility, security deposit deductions, or repair needs.
By keeping thorough documentation, 1836 Property Management ensures transparency for both owners and tenants—and helps protect every property as if it were their own.
1836 Property Management Completes Rental Walkthrough Checklists
These are just some of the reasons why property managers do rental walkthroughs while a tenant is occupying the unit. As you can see, identifying and addressing issues as early as possible is key to preserving your investment and keeping tenants happy.
At 1836 Property Management, we conduct regular rental walkthroughs for all of our clients. It’s just one way that we go the extra mile to help rental property owners achieve success in real estate investing.
1836 Property Management can be reached at (512) 994-4323. For more information, please contact us today.
