{"id":1110,"date":"2019-05-22T12:00:38","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T06:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankapropertyweb.com\/property-news\/?p=1110"},"modified":"2020-08-10T09:24:40","modified_gmt":"2020-08-10T03:54:40","slug":"the-safety-precautions-landlords-should-take-when-renting-your-property","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankapropertyweb.com\/property-news\/the-safety-precautions-landlords-should-take-when-renting-your-property\/","title":{"rendered":"The Safety Precautions Landlords should take when renting your Property"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

More and more homeowners are opting to become landlords instead of selling their home outright. With some apartments offering guaranteed rental income<\/a> of up to 9%, many investors see it profitable to buy properties on a buy-to-let and become a landlord. If you decide to become a landlord, there are a couple of things to consider before getting your first tenants into your own property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lanka Property Web<\/a> has put together a list of handy tips to help you convert your home into a rental property. Make sure you do the math before setting the price of a rental. Calculate all the costs of keeping the place going: mortgage repayments, utilities, maintenance, repairs that may come up along the way. If you have decided to rent your home furnished, consider that the furniture might get damaged and need repairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a landlord, you are responsible for providing a habitable environment for your tenants before the tenant’s movers<\/a> start unloading their stuff.. That means that your property should not be a hazardous place. You should take care of any safety concerns<\/a> before your tenant moves in to avoid lawsuits and future damage to the property. Some new rental property<\/a> owners and landlords do not know how to make sure that their properties are safe for tenants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have found and screened a tenant to fill the vacancy at your rental, the next step is to actually have the tenant move into your property. There are certain steps every landlord should take to help make this transition to be smooth as possible. If you get into the habit of checking off these items every time a new tenant moves in, the process will be easier for both you and the tenant, and misunderstandings and complaints will be minimized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Repair Any Damage or Health and Safety Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before a tenant moves in, you\nwill want to repair any existing damage at the property. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will also want to make sure there are no health or safety issues. Safety issues include verifying that there are two forms of exit from the unit and that all carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are in working order. This maintenance<\/a> is necessary for the health and safety of the tenant. It also helps to ensure that you pass any property inspections required before the tenant moves in. You should also make sure no one else has a spare key to the tenant\u2019s apartment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should not allow unsupervised\nrepairmen inside a tenant\u2019s apartment as this could lead to claims of robbery.\nYou should make sure you have followed all safety codes such as installing\nworking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Tenants should feel safe outside\nof the building as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tenant pays rent to reside in\nyour property. It is your duty to them to respond to requests for repairs in a\nreasonable amount of time. The severity of the repair should warrant how\nquickly you should respond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenant safety<\/a> in your rental property should be your utmost concern as a landlord. If anything seems amiss in your rental property, no matter how small, you should always get a professional opinion before renting out your property to any tenants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Clean the Property<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is especially necessary if\nyou are doing an apartment turnover, which means there was a previous tenant\nliving in the unit. You will want to make sure the unit is thoroughly cleaned,\nespecially areas such as the tub, toilet, stove, and refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if this is the first time\nyou are renting out the unit and everything is brand new, you should still\nvacuum or sweep to remove any debris. \nYou need to make sure trash is taken out, either by yourself or through\nan agreement with a tenant or superintendent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need to make sure common\nareas are well cared for; that they are free from garbage, mopped or vacuumed\non a set schedule, and have working light bulbs. You must maintain outdoor\nareas in the same manner; make sure the grass is cut, outdoor lights are\nfunctioning, and the yard is free from debris. If a tenant has a problem with\nrodents, roaches, bedbugs or other, you will need to rid the problem yourself\nor hire a professional to do so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Make Sure AC\/Heat, Plumbing and Electric Are Working<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before a tenant moves in, you\nmust make sure all utilities are working. You will need to do this whether you\nare responsible for paying for the utilities or whether the tenant is\nresponsible for paying for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will want to make sure the AC\nworks in all rooms, that there are no clogs or leaks in the plumbing and that\nthe outlets and overhead lights in every room are operational. These are\nnecessities that a tenant needs to maintain their quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Documentation Needed in Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to SL law, there are certain must have\u2019s in terms of documentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n