7 things to do before renting out your home

Posted by Jade Anderson on October 27th, 2019

If you are thinking about renting out your home, there are important things to do before putting it up for rent.

In this piece, we have put these things together to make sure you understand your obligations as a landlord and keep your tenants satisfied and happy – coping with any problems that may arise.

1. Make repairs as required

Get repairs done before you show your home to the potential tenant. Outdated flooring, peeling paint, overgrown landscaping, and sagging gutters won’t be appealing.

So, consider hiring a contractor to make the necessary repairs for you to present the house in its best light to earn more money and entice a better class of tenants.

2. Take care of the electrical, plumbing, or heat issues

 As a landlord, you’re needed to offer your tenants with all the essentials, like freshwater, heat, and electricity, while they’re living under your roof. Put simply, you must ensure that all utilities are in good working condition before a tenant moves in.

Hiring a professional to inspect your property is a great thing to do.

3. Do some cleaning

No tenant will want to move into a dirty home, and this is why it is a great idea to do some light cleaning before renting it out. Wash the windows, wipe down and dust countertops, thoroughly clean areas like the refrigerator, stove, tub, and toilet, and sweep or vacuum to remove additional debris.

Also, clear out anything, which is tired and old, not fit for an acquired taste or purpose. 1300Rubbish can help you remove your junk.

4. Apply a fresh coat of paint

Having the house painted will make it more appealing to the tenant. Consider choosing a neutral colour scheme to make the rooms more appealing, brighter, cleaner, and to look bigger. If the potential tenant requested a certain colour, it is up to you to decide if you want to honour the request.

5. Decide the appliances you’ll leave in the house

While you are not needed to offer your tenant with a dryer, washer, or refrigerator, you’re needed to maintain all the appliances you leave for the tenant to use. If you rent a house complete with appliances can make you earn a better income. However, if you’ve to spend money repairing them, then you may not get a great return on the investment.

Also, if the appliances are worn out or old, consider adjusting the house rent to compensate the tenant for the trouble of having to offer their appliances and remove them from the house as well.

6. Keep your property insured

As a landlord, you’ll require standard home insurance, in addition to your specific landlord insurance. You’ll require a policy, which covers you for things like rental default, tenant damage, and natural disasters that general contents and home insurance won't.

7. Find the right tenant

Finding the right tenant is an essential aspect of renting your house. Even if you have had your home insured and appraised, and perfectly aligned all your objectives, if you do not have the right tenant, it is all for naught.

Consider using online rental applications as they store tenant references, employment history, pet preferences, income, and contact information.

There are many other things to do when renting out a home. Make sure you also:

• Provide the tenant with your contact information.

• Collect the security deposit and first month’s rent.

• Have all the necessary property inspections completed.

• Review & sign lease with the tenant.

• Install working smoke alarms.

You should protect your tenant and property by maintaining windows, locks, and any other security measure.