If you want to become a landlord, the first thing you have to do is to look for some sea pines condos for sale, buy them, and look for responsible tenants. Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter how much someone will care about the rental property because some issues and maintenance repairs will surely pop up after a while. All things eventually break, malfunction, or wear out, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Most of the time, a landlord is responsible for the property’s general condition, but there are some situations when the tenant has to take care of all repairs. Here, you will find five examples of what can go wrong in the rental apartment and when the tenant should repair damages.
Damage Caused by Tenants or Their Guests
Nothing lasts forever, but some furniture and appliances could have lasted a little longer if it wasn’t for clumsiness or the lack of knowledge. It is not uncommon for people to break things because of misinformation or negligence, but most of the time, it is caused by pure coincidence. For example, tenants may want to move the furniture to make a home office and scratch the floor by accident. In this case, they are required to pay for the damage themselves.
The same applies to plumbing. Every tenant has the responsibility to keep the drains unclogged and to ensure the proper maintenance of the shower, toilet, and sinks. When one of the things listed above breaks, tenants should inform the landlord and see why that happened. If everyone decides that it’s the appliances’ fault, then the property owner should fix it independently.
In a perfect world, every tenant should immediately report every issue to the owner so they can bring inspection or hire professional services if necessary. Unfortunately, in most cases, tenants try to repair damages by themselves or buy things so no one can notice the damage. In this case, it may be wise to stock yourself in a basic kit of repair tools, like those you can find on Lakeside Hire.
Mold and Pests
Discarding trash can lead to various problems like mold, smells, and pests. While in some cases, pest infestation is a “vis major” situation, sometimes trash negligence can invite the bugs in. The landlord is responsible for explaining where the trash should be placed to keep everything clean, but there is where his liability ends.
Like with pest infestation, mold can be caused by the tenant’s actions of property maintenance issues. Ventilating rooms that produce steam and water should be the tenant’s job, but in some cases, problems with mold can be caused by the room’s inadequate ventilation or faulty construction. In this case, you should both discuss the issue and hire a professional inspection that will identify the root cause. To prevent problems with inadequate air, you can consider investing in an air purifier. It can be a significant investment, so it is best to know some whole house air purifier repair services.
Consumables
When tenants move into a new rental condo, they need to check if everything is working correctly. Before moving, the landlord is responsible for the state of the place and all appliances in the apartment recorded as present. Prior to signing the lease, tenants should check if everything works as advertised.
After signing the lease, light bulbs are considered consumable items that the tenant is responsible for replacing. Moreover, at the end of the tenancy, residents should make sure that every light bulb works properly and that they left the place with working lights.
However, in the case of bulbs that are difficult to access, like high ceiling lamps, it is not unreasonable that they ask the landlord for help. You can then do it yourself or hire a professional service. That could be claimed as part of the landlord’s disputed deposit, and our adjudicator would take into account that this is a task the tenant should have undertaken.
This rule also applies to appliances like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Once the landlord has carried out safety tests on such devices on the first day of the tenancy, it is the tenant’s responsibility to check the appliances and replace batteries regularly.
Misuse of Property
Before signing a lease, every tenant must comply with the rules and regulations that every landlord can choose to add. For instance, a potential tenant should ask about additional requirements like smoking inside, having a pet, or doing handmade art, which requires using smelly ingredients. If the tenants agreed to rent a condo for non-smokers, but they won’t comply, resulting in smelly furniture or cigarette stains all over, they must pay for cleaning and damages they caused.
Basically, every misuse that violates the lease’s clear agreements must be repaired or paid for by the renter. The tenant’s responsibility is to leave the place in the same or similar state he moved in.
Unreported Issues
Every tenant is obliged to report any problem with the condo right away. This point should be included in the tenancy agreement, but it is also valuable to the tenant to outline every complication he sees. If left alone for a prolonged period of time, the damage will most likely worsen. The best way for a tenant to handle this kind of situation is to record every phone call or email in which he addresses the issue to have proof of contact.
If you want everything to work efficiently, you need to encourage tenants to report all maintenance issues promptly. As a landlord, you should make sure that there is a straightforward way to contact you, and you should respond to all requests of your renters. Otherwise, you can’t expect them to alert you on time.
From the tenant’s point of view, if your landlord is not responding or refuses to carry out necessary repairs, you may want to contact some helplines that will help you know your rights and all legal ways obligations.
The Bottom Line
Although the law provides some tips and clarification, there is still a grey area in some renting issues. Well-prepared legal documents and communication can help avoid most tenant-landlord disputes. It is the best way to ensure that everyone knows where they stand. Setting clear expectations upfront can make both parties’ lives easier.
Sometimes things will be complicated, and the best way to handle them is to talk and not let yourself get carried away. Generally speaking, most conflicts can be clarified by talking, and sometimes it is necessary to compromise on both sides. After all, both tenants and landlords want what’s best for them.
