A Guide To Getting Your Property Ready For Tenancy

• Tend the gardens, mow the lawns and clean the windows, paths, gutters and outside paintwork. These are all things seen from the street, and you don't want prospective tenants to dismiss the property before getting to the front door.
• Repair or replace leaking taps, sticking doors, broken lightfittings, loose door handles, rotten floor boards, leaky gutters and torn flyscreens.
• If you are thinking about painting, only paint those areas that really need it unless you plan on doing the lot. New paint may only make those areas left unpainted look even shabbier. Use light, neutral colours as strong colours may not be to the tenant's taste. If paint is generally in good condition, touch up the scruffy bits.
• If your property is in a noisy area (such as a main road) inspection times should occur when the noise is at its lowest.
• Get rid of odours that you may not notice but prospective tenants will, such as cigarette or pet smells. It may be worth having the carpets and curtains cleaned, neither of which is very expensive.
• Open the curtains and blinds to let the sun and the view inside. Nobody likes a dark house, and the view will make the rooms feel bigger.
• Have the property clean, tidy and uncluttered at inspection times.
• If your property has a pool, ensure the pool and the surrounds are sparkling clean. You want prospective tenants to think it is an asset, not a burden. If the filter or the pool needs professional repairs, it is better to do it now rather than putting it off. The repairs are usually tax deductible.
• Ensure that all electrical wiring and powerpoints are safe. This includes any electrical appliances to be included with the property.
• Take out comprehensive insurance cover on the property (including public liability). You don't want to be sued by a prospective tenant who accidentally injures themselves while inspecting the property.

Lifespan Guidelines

Planned maintenance is either cyclic, or condition based. Cyclic maintenance requires work to be carried out at the end of an item's effective life.

Condition based maintenance depends on assessing whether the condition of a maintenance item is below standard.

Listed below are some examples of lifespan guidelines:-

• Painting (internal) - 5 years

• Painting (exterior) - varying

• Hot water system - every 7 years

• Oven - 10 years

• Bathroom renovation - 10 - 15 years

• Kitchen renovation - 10 - 15 years

• Replacing floor coverings including carpets - every 7 - 10 years

• For houses - structural checks including safety of balconies, verandas and roofs - annually

• Clean gutters - check annually

• Pest Inspections - check annually

• Swimming pool - check filtration equipment - annually

• Electrical wiring - check every 2 - 3 years