Nationwide, natural disasters are notorious for striking with little to no warning. Hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, and flash floods can cause extensive damage to homes and lives across the country.
Rental property owners must know how to respond and whom to contact if their property is damaged by a storm, fire, or flood. It’s crucial for property owners to have this knowledge for renter safety and effective recovery from disasters.
Create a Response Plan
Now is the best time to begin planning for disaster recovery. Creating a recovery plan can greatly improve the recovery process after a disaster hits your rental home. Advance planning involves taking current actions to mitigate the worst effects of nature.
The ideal starting point is to obtain proper insurance coverage. Next, conduct a thorough assessment of your properties to gauge the natural disaster threat level for each. Moreover, diligently examine each rental home, considering the strength of retaining walls, the risk from tall trees, and other possible problems.
After a Natural Disaster
If a natural disaster strikes your rental property, your primary concern should be checking on your tenants and ensuring their safety. Then, thoroughly document the damage to your property by taking photographs and notify the relevant authorities and your insurance company.
For significant damage, your tenants may need to arrange alternative housing through their insurance, and you should swiftly contact inspectors and contractors for repair estimates.
In a disaster, experienced professionals will ensure your residents’ safety, evaluate property damage, document it with photos, and provide you with the information needed to start recovery. They will liaise with your insurance company, verify that inspectors and contractors are fully licensed and insured, and help tenants find temporary housing if necessary.
When overwhelmed with tasks, a dependable property management company is your best and most efficient choice for a quick recovery. Real Property Management Washington DC can help you determine the risk level for your rental property and develop a strategy to minimize damage. Contact us via our website or call 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.
