Being a landlord or a rental property manager is great, especially now that more people are looking to rent. However, just like all the jobs today, this comes with a tedious aspect: cleaning and preparing rental properties. If you’re new to this, you might find this task as one of the toughest, even if you’re well-versed in business. To help you out, here are tips to keep in mind: 

• Be There During the Move-Out Inspection

An important part of the rental process is the move-out inspection, as this is the point when one-time tenants can dispute property damages. When you’re there, you can avoid paying for false claims submitted in writing. Additionally, your presence can also facilitate important conversations about remaining damages or repairs and who will be responsible for them. Use this time to give associated move-out rebates as well. 

• Have Photographic Records 

A great way to defend your position should you encounter any disputes or additional charges after a tenant moves out is through visual evidence. That is why you need to maintain photographic records that can help you clear things up. Photos can also serve as a record of what the property looks like over time. 

Therefore, it’s an excellent idea to take the time to document living spaces as this will save you a lot of work, especially if you need to get a listing quickly or if you don’t have the budget for professional photos. 

• Check Utility Accounts

It’s not safe to assume that tenants will switch utilities off or close their accounts when they move out; that’s why it’s important you check them. As a move-out step, you can add this to the rules in which tenants must prove that utilities are turned off and have closed their accounts before moving out completely. Should a tenant fail to pay or close a utility account, as the landlord, you will be faced with serious consequences. 

• Clean

When re-leasing a unit, it’s important to take time to invest in thorough deep cleaning. Not only will this make the property clean, but it can also help you identify issues that must be addressed.

Make sure to have a detailed checklist of the deep cleaning process and another list of maintenance points. 

Once you’re done with the deep cleaning process, you should re-clean the unit’s key areas. Start with the kitchen and dining areas because they can make or break new rental agreements if they look dirty. It’s also essential you go over the bathroom and bedroom to identify any plumbing issues, leaks, mold, or mildew. 

• Paint the Walls

While the unit is empty, use this time to paint or patch the walls. You can do this at least once a year or more often if you can. Fresh paint must be applied to all indoor areas. As for the unit’s exterior, the nature of the property will determine how often you should repaint it. 

Ready to Have Your Property Rented? 

As you can see, cleaning and prepping a property can be a tedious process. However, they must be done. This is why most landlords or rental property managers opt to hire a cleaning company to ease the burden and ensure that every area in the property is cleaned thoroughly. 

For excellent apartment cleaning in Hoboken, NJ, VepoClean can help. Contact us today to schedule a cleaning service!