As a Roseville rental property owner, you are mostly responsible for maintaining your investment property. Your accountabilities include ensuring it’s a safe and habitable home where everything inside the property works as it should.
Tenants may call to report a problem with plumbing, electric systems, appliances, or heating and cooling. Every rental property needs maintenance work from time to time, even one that’s new and in great condition. You’ll need to respond unless the tenant has caused some kind of damage.
While most of the maintenance responsibilities fall to you as the owner, there are certain things you can expect your tenant to do. There are some repairs and upkeep they can be responsible for, and there’s also the matter of utilities. Most residents will be expected to set up their own accounts.
Make sure all expectations are clear and included in the lease agreement. We recommend that you provide the following checklist for your tenants.
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Set Up Utility Accounts in Roseville Rental Homes
Tenants are generally responsible for establishing their own utility accounts and paying the bills for electricity, gas, trash, and water, especially when they rent a single-family home in Roseville. This keeps things simple, especially since there are no communal spaces and no collective use of water or lights. Residents who rent single-family homes often expect they’ll have to call the electric company and the water company to set up service.
In your lease, require that the tenants do this before moving into the property.
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Air Filter Changes
Roseville rental homes will likely use both air conditioning and heat during the course of a tenancy. Keep your HVAC system running effectively and efficiently by requiring your tenants to change the air filters regularly. Depending on your property, this may be every month or every three months.
Sometimes, owners will provide the filters for their tenants and then charge them as part of the rent. Several good services are available if this is what you decide to do. Other owners will expect their tenants to go out and purchase the correct size and install the filters. Whatever you decide, make sure the requirement is in the lease agreement, and be sure your tenants understand the importance of following this protocol.
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Changing Light Bulbs and Batteries
It’s not unreasonable to expect your tenants to change light bulbs and batteries. These are easy functions that are neither expensive nor time-consuming. You won’t know when the bulbs need to be replaced or the garage remotes are running low on battery power. Most tenants expect they’ll need to take care of this – but include it in your lease agreement anyway.
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Landscaping and Lawn Care
A lot of owners struggle with who should be responsible for the lawn. That will depend on you and your tenant. Landscaping and lawn maintenance may be a shared responsibility depending on your property and your preferences. If you’re renting out a unit in a multi-family building or you have a duplex, you may want to take care of the landscaping yourself.
In a single-family property, you can expect your tenant to mow the lawn or hire a service to do it. If you’re particular about how your property is landscaped, you may be better off hiring the professionals yourself and then rolling the cost into the monthly rent.
These are a few good items to include on your tenant’s checklist for utility and repair issues. Keep the lines of communication open with your tenants so they’re comfortable asking questions or requesting support. This will improve your relationship and keep your property better maintained.
If you have any questions about how to structure your maintenance responsibilities with tenants, please contact us at Action Properties. We can serve as your expert Roseville property management resource.
