As a landlord, you have a lot of details to worry about when tenants are moving in and out of your rental home, and you’re probably focused on the property. However, you need to remember that moving is stressful for tenants. If you can provide a smooth and efficient move-in and move-out process, you’ll contribute to a positive rental experience for everyone.
Inspect the Property Prior to Move-In
Conduct a thorough inspection of the property before your tenants move into it. You want to make sure everything is functional and clean. Run all the faucets and flush all the toilets. Check the appliances and the electrical outlets to be sure they’re working. Run the heat and the air conditioning, and check under sinks and tubs for leaks or drips. If there’s anything that needs a repair or a replacement, make sure you take care of it before the move-in date.
You also need to have the property thoroughly cleaned. Hire professionals who can pay attention to details. You want the ceiling fans dusted and the baseboards polished. Tubs and tiles should sparkle.
Once all of this is done, take pictures of every room in the home. This is the best way to document the condition of your property so you know how it looks when the tenants move in. This report will be invaluable at the end of the tenancy, when the residents are moving out and you’re inspecting for any damage that was done during the course of the lease.
Creating Positive Tenant Relationships
The move-in process is an excellent opportunity to establish a positive and respectful relationship with your new tenant. At Parks Property Management, we create relationships with our residents that inspire full cooperation and positive transitions during the move-in and move-out periods.
We like to have a welcome gift waiting for new tenants to show them that we appreciate that they chose our property. Usually, it’s something simple like a basket of organic, non-toxic soaps. As we are handing over the keys and discussing all the things that the tenants need to know about the property, we also talk about our expectations. Our tenants always understand their responsibilities and the requirements of the lease agreement. We let them know that rent must be paid on time, we discuss how to report maintenance issues, and we talk about our expectation that the property is returned to us in good, clean condition.
Effective Tenant Communication
We prioritize tenant communication during the lease period and when residents are moving in or out of the property. With an online tenant portal, our residents can pay rent online, submit routine maintenance requests electronically with pictures of the problem, and view the move-in inspection report that we complete, which includes more than 40 pictures and detailed notes about the condition of the property.
We want our residents to know that their time is valuable, so we work together on transitioning in and out of the property. Our tenants always know what to expect, and they know that we are available, accessible, and responsive if they have questions after they’ve settled in or when they’re preparing to move out.
These are just a few of the ways that we create a simple and informative move-in and move-out process for our tenants. If you have any questions about this or anything pertaining to Brentwood property management, please contact us at Parks Property Management.