Scheduling a walk-through inspection of your Kansas rental property helps you assess the condition of your unit before a tenancy begins and when it ends. After successful property marketing, you'll have tenants prepared to move into your rental. To protect your rental space better, it’s recommended to conduct a property walk-through inspection. It’s known that doing so reduces property damages.Walkthroughs help owners evaluate the state of their rental property and provide tenants with a more habitable living space. This article provides ways on how to conduct a walk-through inspection for your Kansas rental property.Here are tips to guide you in performing a rental property walkthrough:
1. Prepare a Form
Get a form ready that lists down the different areas and rooms of your Kansas rental property. Make it specific and leave room to jot down your notes. Breaking down a room’s components into different parts, such as doors, windows, floors, appliances, and furnishings makes it easier to record the details. Keeping a detailed list is especially important if you're a first-time landlord. After each specific item, write down your observation of the move-in and move-out conditions. You can include the cleaning fees or repair costs if it requires maintenance or any fixing.Leave room to scribble your signature and the tenant’s so you can both sign once the walkthrough inspection is completed. Don’t forget to also write down the date and give a document copy to the renter.
2. Do a Walkthrough With the Renter
Performing the Kansas rental property walkthrough inspection together before the renter stays in the unit is a good practice. You can both see eye to eye on the state of the rental space before the renter moves in. This effectively limits future conflicts over the rental condition when the tenant moves out.
The process of a joint walk-through inspection also sets expectations. You can talk with the renter about your cleaning standards and explain the differences between property damages caused by normal wear and tear and those that occurred due to tenant neglect or abuse. This way, there will be fewer disputes down the road over security deposit deductions.As a landlord, you must make sure that the tenant is able to participate in the walk-through inspection prior to move-in. The renter’s presence isn’t necessary during the move-out inspection since repairs are already finished at that point.
3. Make Your Procedure Simple
If your walk-inspection is too complicated, it can lead to renters doubting their decision to apply as a resident. Avoid burdening your tenants by going over each tiny unnecessary detail. You want to make them feel at ease and prevent experiencing pressure over turning over the Kansas rental property in its flawless state.Remember that no home is perfect and there is bound to be some wear and tear if your unit has occupants. Overdocumenting also wastes plenty of time so it’s best to consider a straightforward walk-through inspection. Aim for around 20 minutes when performing the inspection process.
4. Be Partial to Images and Videos
When documenting your vacant Kansas rental property, make use of a camera or smartphone. Snap an initial wide shot of the room then zoom in closer to damaged areas. Should tenants deny that an area is already damaged prior to their stay, you can present the images or video as evidence. This vastly reduces your stress in the future in case a renter contests the existence of property damage in your rental place.
5. Perform a Self-Property Check Prior to the Arrival of the Renter
Walk-through inspections should be properly done and not performed merely for compliance sake. Landlords should be thorough in inspecting the details and observe beyond broken items and furniture stains. It’s recommended to do a home system test to uncover any property issues before a renter occupies your Kansas rental property. This helps establish a tenant’s trust in you. Switch on appliances, test heaters and air conditioning systems, flush the toilets, and open and shut down doors and windows. Being thorough is essential so renters won’t experience occupying a rental unit with property damage. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be encouraged to take care of the property.If you perform tests often, you can identify property issues and address them promptly leading to lower repair expenses. Ensure the renter knows the condition of the different parts of your rental, so when damage materializes later, they are open to pay for the repairs.
6. Offer a Grace Period for the Renter to Uncover Any Property Issues
It’s vital to allow renters sufficient time to review the rental unit and find out whether any property issues exist. Some things may be overlooked even after conducting a safety inspection. Three days is sufficient time for issues to be reported. Make sure to document the issue with pictures.Once you’re aware, you can take steps to resolve it. Providing a grace period is advisable since it’s hard to tell whether certain damages exist unless a home system is continuously used for a few days.
7. Study the Landlord-Tenant Laws
You must comply with the Kansas state laws and remain updated to its current landlord-tenant laws. It’s best to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of each party. Where property damages are concerned, this can lead to a lot of conflict so learning what you’re in charge of as a landlord is crucial. Certain repair costs can be taken from the security deposits to address property damage but these damages should be beyond normal wear and tear. If you know the law, you also have an idea of the maximum amount of security deposit you can request from the renter and what expenses you’re allowed to deduct from it. If not, conflicts can escalate and you may risk facing a lawsuit.
Bottom Line
Making legal errors can lead to heavy costs, so a good option for landlords is to hire a reputable property management company to help them run an efficient operation of their Kansas rental property. If you’re looking for a trusted property manager to assist in conducting a tenant walk-through inspection and more, contact SCUDO Real Estate & Property Management today!
