4 Common Issues You May Experience As A Landlord And What To Do About Them
When you become a landlord, you are faced with a ton of responsibilities that can make things complicated from time to time.
Unfortunately, because of this, you may experience some issues, which means that you will need to have difficult conversations with your tenants. Whether you just have one property or you are managing a large portfolio of properties, there are inevitable problems that can arise. However, there are some useful ways to make these situations easier and ensure that problems are resolved as quickly as possible. Today we will discuss four common issues that landlords often experience, along with what you can do about them.
High Tenant Turnover Rate
This is a problem that can prevent you from getting a steady cash flow. Once a tenant leaves, you will need to spend some money and time advertising the property, showing it to potential tenants, and conducting background checks. Also, you will have some administrative duties when you are getting one tenant out and another one in. Moreover, while the property is vacant, you won’t earn any money as you usually would. Some strategies you can use to reduce the tenant turnover rate include understanding why tenants leave, making regular home improvements, and ensuring you always let out to tenants who are a good fit.
Electrical Faults
There are various electrical issues that you may encounter, such as faulty light switches, flickering lights, exposed wires, and more. Some problems with the electrics might require urgent attention, so the services of a 24/7 electrician Sydney (or a similar service wherever you are), could be used if your tenants are experiencing electrical problems in the middle of the night.
As a landlord, you are responsible for ensuring electrical safety and identifying electrical hazards, which can be done by conducting an EICR Test. You can check to see what EICR Test you need with the help of Trade Facilities Services. They provide different types of electrical certificates so that you can find the one suitable for your property. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) will assess the safety of the existing electrical installation within your property, which is crucial to identify any risks involved.
Late Payments
Waiting for a tenant to pay their rent can be frustrating, as it can put a strain on your finances. It can be difficult to handle this situation, especially if you are always dealing with the same tenants. If you are owed money, you can research no win no fee debt collection options to ensure you receive your payment.
To prevent late rent payments from happening in the first place, it’s advisable to screen tenants before you let out a property. You may also want to ask for recommendations. This will ensure that you will find good tenants, who are more likely to pay their rent on time. However, if this problem still occurs, be sure to follow up with them as many times as needed and enforce your rent collection procedures and rules.
Messy Tenants
Letting out a property means that your tenants are allowed to live the way they want to. However, when leaving the property, they are expected to return it in the same condition it was when they moved in. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and sometimes you will have to deal with the mess that they have left. Having messy tenants can be frustrating, so it’s advisable to carry out regular property inspections to minimise the number of repairs you will need to carry out at the end of their tenancy. You may also need to use part of their tenancy deposit to pay for cleaning services.