As a landlord who is mindful of your Washington DC rental property, it is part of your duty to ensure that your investment property is in superb condition, which is why regular upkeep is an absolute requirement. While doing routine maintenance, make sure that you are also monitoring the exterior of the house. A rental home’s outside appearance can directly influence its property values as well as the home’s curb appeal. It bodes well to carefully deal with the exterior elements of the home and set clear rules for your tenants to make sure they are keeping it in good condition.
Your concept of a “nice” exterior may not be the equivalent of what your tenant wants, and if that occurs, trouble could happen. A few renters don’t just acknowledge what is given and will attempt to change or add to the rental home’s exterior features as well. With do-it-yourself home improvements so popular these days, there is a solid probability that your tenants will attempt to make “improvements” with or without your permission.
For example, your tenant may decide that a patio umbrella simply isn’t good enough – they want a pergola instead. While it may seem harmless enough to let them build one in the backyard, this is a hotbed for permit violations, damage to the property, and even personal injuries. (If someone was injured you may have a huge legal trouble on your hands, on top of everything else.) Broken sprinkler or gas lines, damaged siding, and poor workmanship can all create expensive repairs and dangerous conditions in the yard.
The same is true for home improvements, such as painting, replacing the garage door or adding a deck or porch. Unique personal preferences and/or low-quality remodeling lower property values, make it harder to rent it out. In a nutshell, it just does not end well if tenants are allowed to make changes by themselves.
The best approach is to end home “improvement” projects before they start. Create clear language within the lease to emphasize the fact that tenants are forbidden to make permanent changes to your Washington DC rental property. It is also vital to watch over your property regularly, making sure that a sneaky tenant hasn’t taken matters into their own hands. Of course, this takes time away from doing other things.
That’s when you should pick up the phone and give Real Property Management Washington DC a call. We perform regular property evaluations designed to stop unauthorized tenant improvements in their tracks. If you are excited about learning more, please contact us online or by phone at 202-813-9993.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
