As a landlord in Fort Collins, you’re expected to oversee the maintenance of your rental by performing regular property inspections.
Inspections allow you to spot early signs of damage that you can fix before they escalate and become expensive to repair. Inspections also help you keep your rental habitable and in good condition, which encourages tenants to renew their lease.
But as a landlord, how often should you conduct these inspections?
Property inspections must adhere to the landlord-tenant laws. You can’t inspect the rental home anytime you want. Sending a notice and having a proper agreement must be made beforehand.
In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know.
When Should Your Fort Collins Rental Home Be Inspected?
You can inspect your rental properties as long as you don’t impede on the quiet enjoyment of your tenants. You can even perform drive-by property inspections to physically check the appearance of your rental in Fort Collins.
However, tenants have a right to privacy and a right to enjoy their daily living with the least intrusion from the property owners as possible.
If you constantly arrive at the property without warning, they may feel “harassed.” This would be a legal reason for them to break their lease early.
When to Conduct a Property Inspection
There are specific times along the tenancy period when you should conduct an inspection of your Fort Collins rental home.
Here are important periods to do so:
1. When a Tenant Moves In and Moves Out
The best times to perform property inspection in your Fort Collins rental home is prior to the tenant moving in and after the tenant moves out.
This gives you a solid comparative basis on the condition of your property.
Make it a point to tell your tenant that you’re conducting property inspections in your rental. Tenants will be more careful in maintaining the unit to avoid incurring deductions from their security deposit. The costs to pay for damages beyond normal wear and tear can be taken from the security deposit.
2. When you Suspect Unauthorized Renters on your Property
A common situation landlords face are extra renters moving in the rental without them being on the lease agreement.
For instance, your tenant’s girlfriend/boyfriend, family member or friend may move in.
This can count as breaking the rules of your leasing agreement, especially if you have a clause on not allowing the tenant to sublet.
To avoid this situation, you can include clear guidelines in your contract, such as:
- “Roommates need to go through tenant screening and be authorized beforehand by the landlord”
- “New tenants must affix their signature on the leasing agreement”
Being more explicit reduces the case of having unauthorized renters in your Fort Collins rental home.
If you’re unsure if new tenants are living in your rental, you can do a property inspection and check for signs.
3. When Reviewing Property Maintenance Needs
You want to be a proactive landlord. So, check your Fort Collins rental home for property issues that you can resolve right away. Sometimes, tenants don’t report property issues. So, it’s up to you to remain vigilant and increase the habitability and value of your rental.
Preventive maintenance inspections are practical to do because they can help you save on expensive repairs. Being prompt in addressing property issues also results in greater tenant satisfaction. A good practice is to perform routine property inspections during seasonal shifts. This ensures that everything is functioning in peak condition.
4. When Renters Fail to Pay the Rent
Your leasing agreement should cover the rent payment terms and the consequences of not paying on time. You and the tenant must be on the same page on the importance of prompt rent payment. If the tenant has missed paying the monthly rent dues, it’s important to make time to visit.
Perhaps the tenant stopped paying rent because of a property concern. You will know this if you take the time to visit the rental and conduct a property inspection.
Bottom Line
As a landlord, you should be aware of what’s going on in your Fort Collins rental home.
Conduct property inspections regularly to ensure that your tenants are performing their responsibilities properly, adhering to the policies set in the leasing agreement and paying the rent every month.
It’s also under your duty to ensure that your property in Fort Collins is kept in the best state. This leaves your renters satisfied and encourages them to remain loyal. When lease renewal comes up, you will be at ease knowing that your renters will desire to continue staying for the long term.
Being a full-time landlord can be time-consuming. If you need professional support, you can hire Onsite Property Management to perform the necessary property inspections in your Fort Collins rental home. We can also craft solid leasing agreements and resolve tenant complaints!
Contact us today for more information.
