As a landlord, conducting regular inspections at your Norfolk duplex rental is a necessity. Regular inspections help to detect minor repairs and damages and fix them on time to avoid major expenses. In addition to protecting your investment from property damage, you also have to ensure that it stays in top shape.
An inspection will help you know if your tenants are adhering to their maintenance responsibilities. Inspections at your Norfolk duplex are more important as a duplex is made up of two structures that often share features such as the roof, HVAC systems, foundation, basement, crawlspace, etc.
You have to ensure that all the areas of your duplex rental are well maintained through a thorough inspection. However, avoid excessive inspections.
Here’s how often you should conduct inspections at your Norfolk Duplex Rental.
Move-in inspection
After the lease has been finalized and the potential tenant has signed the lease, the landlord is supposed to carry out an inspection of the unit before he moves in. The current condition of the property has to be documented, in addition to creating a move-in checklist.
If the property suffers any significant damages at the hands of the renter, they become liable to cover the expenses of damages (limited to the law). Since the occupant is also involved in this process, the inspection report is to be signed by both the tenant and the landlord.
In the future, this can also help to determine how much of the renter’s security deposit should be used to cover the repairs of the rental.
Move-out Inspection
The move-out inspection is carried out within 21 days after the tenant has moved out and it helps determine how much damage the occupant has caused your duplex rental. By comparing the move-in inspection report to the current state of the house, all the basics such as plumbing, flooring, roof, and wear and tear of other shared amenities can be verified.
This process also requires the renter to be involved to avoid any confusion or miscommunication. It minimizes the chances of potential renter disputes, as the tenant is required to sign documents confirming the state of the property while they are leaving.
Seasonal inspection
Duplex rentals may experience significant damage as seasons shift. There can be pest infestations or animals dwelling in the foundation or basement during winter, the roof might suffer damages during snowfall or in summer when the snow is melting.
Each season requires different sets of maintenance responsibility and the landlord has to ensure that the tenants are taking all the necessary measures for the changing season. This helps you protect your rental property against seasonal wear and tear, as well as your tenants’ security deposit.
Drive-by inspection
Sometimes, all it takes to determine the state of your investment property is a passing glance. This helps you focus on bigger maintenance issues that are mainly located on the exterior of the house.
A drive-by inspection will help you in focusing on landscape maintenance and know whether or not your duplex rental is pleasing to the eye. You can see if it requires a fresh coat of paint and notice other maintenance issues that can be observed from afar.
If you come across any such issue that needs proper fixing, you can either write to your tenant or take care of it yourself.
Property inspections can protect your Norfolk duplex rental in the long run, but can take up a lot of your time. The right property manager can help you guide you through your inspection duties as a Norfolk landlord. To take care of your duplex inspections, contact us at Doud Realty Services.