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Most people wouldn’t even think about putting their property in the hands of a complete stranger, but as a landlord, that’s just part of the job. When you entrust your rental property to a new tenant, you are putting faith in them that they will take care of their new home and not cause any significant damage. 

You can screen and credit check them all you like, but you will never truly know how good a tenant is until well after they’ve signed a contract. And at that point, it’s too late to turn back. Of course, if they’re really troublesome, you can take money out of their security deposit or even evict them, but this can end up being a lot of work and in some cases lead to lengthy and expensive legal proceedings.

The best thing to do is to ensure you have the best possible tenants and to make sure that they respect your property as they would their own. Don’t leave it up to chance. Follow these tips to ensure you get your rental property back in the same condition you left it.

Screen tenants carefully

As a landlord, it is your right to turn applicants away if you have a valid reason to think they are untrustworthy. Interview them to get a sense of their character and ask for a reference from a previous landlord to determine if they have ever caused any problems while renting. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t be afraid to keep looking until the perfect tenant turns up.

Conduct an inventory

Before the tenancy begins, you should conduct a full inventory of the state of the property and its contents. This way, when a tenant moves out, you will be able to make sure the property has been left in the same condition. Take pictures of all areas of the property so you can prove that any damage that is present occurred since their tenancy began. You could also consider hiring an inventory company to take care of this for you.

Set expectations

Some landlords may be more lax about their property than others, so you must set expectations at the start for how you want your property to be looked after. Set out the tenant’s obligations in their contract so they know what they are supposed to do in terms of cleaning and maintenance, as well as specific instructions for cleaning certain appliances or materials.

Carry out inspections

Let your tenants know that you will be carrying out occasional inspections. That will motivate them to keep the property in good condition and allow you to keep an eye on the place. It’s also a good opportunity to check there are no maintenance issues that you need to deal with before they get any worse.

Maintain a good relationship

Some landlords have a reputation for being aloof or difficult to deal with, but it is in the best interest of all parties to maintain a good relationship. Make it easy for your tenants to contact you when needed, and be responsive and proactive in fixing any issues for them. This way, they will feel positively towards you and be more likely to respect and care for your property.