Two types of maintenance rental owners should consider

Every now and then a rental property will require a little TLC that goes beyond just necessary repairs.

This maintenance is undertaken in the interests of protecting the value of a property, while also ensuring it remains appealing to both your current and future rental occupiers.

What sort of maintenance are we talking? Well, it helps if you divide it into two different categories.

So let’s look at the two types of maintenance that rental owners should consider when it comes to owning a rental property.

Maintenance versus repairs

When we talk about maintenance it’s quite different to repairs. Repairs are generally jobs that need to be done in order to keep a rental property working properly.

In most cases, repairs are reactive, as in something breaks, the rental occupier notifies the property manager who then works with the rental owner to have the problem fixed.

Maintenance, on the other hand, is about upkeep of the property. It’s about protecting the value of the rental asset and generally occurs before something goes wrong.

Within the field of maintenance, there are two areas to consider: preventative maintenance that is designed to mitigate potential issues, and proactive maintenance, which can potentially add value to a rental property.

Preventative maintenance

From pool servicing to gutter cleaning, preventative maintenance spans a wealth of tasks that will generally be undertaken at a rental property in any given year.

As the name implies, it’s about preventing a potential issue, so could include jobs like annual gutter cleaning to ensure gutters don’t overflow and deteriorate, pest control to mitigate possible issues like termites, and perhaps an annual garden trim to cut back overhanging tree branches or shape some hedges.

It might also include regular pool maintenance if the rental property has a pool or having a property’s decking oiled to protect it from the weather.

All these sorts of tasks don’t so much add value as they prevent the property from deteriorating. They are undertaken in the knowledge they will mitigate more significant issues in the long run.  

Proactive

Proactive maintenance on the other hand is a little bit different. It involves identifying areas of the property that could use improvement and, in the process, perhaps adds value to the property.

Simple examples of proactive maintenance include repainting the property’s interior between rental agreements, or updating fixtures like blinds, kitchen drawer handles and tapware.

It might also extend to replacing a tired bathroom cabinet and sink or upgrading the hot water system or air-conditioner around the end of their anticipated lifespan.

Although this type of maintenance may not be urgent or necessary, it ensures the property remains in tip top condition.

This in turn makes it more appealing to rental occupiers and also enhances the value of the property when it comes time to sell.

Many of these tasks will likely be undertaken while the property is vacant between rental agreements, but if you have a long-term rental occupier, it might be worth considering updating the property (within reason) during that period.

How we can help

Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.

We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.

Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.