McIntyre Property management team leader Amanda Gordon offers some tips and tricks to consider before your agent turns up at the front door. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
No matter how long you’ve been renting, most tenants agree there’s a certain level of anxiety that comes with a routine property inspection.
As management team leader at McIntyre Property, Amanda Gordon knows a thing or two about them. She offers some tips and tricks to consider before your agent steps over the threshold, so you can pass your next inspection with flying colours.
Get started early
It’s far easier to clean one or two rooms a day than running around the night before trying to get everything done.
“The legal minimum notice for a rental inspection is seven days, but most agents will let you know about a month in advance,” Amanda says.
“Take advantage of this and, if possible, make a start on your prep right away.
“If you’re a generally neat and tidy person, there usually isn’t too much that will need to be done.”
Think about access
Your agent needs to be able to move around the home freely so they can check for any evidence of serious issues like water damage, mould, structural damage, pests and other health hazards.
“This is why we want to look behind the couch, in corners and under your kitchen sink,” Amanda says.
“We aren’t just being nosy! We understand that it is your home and want you to be as comfortable as possible, while ensuring that there are no damage, maintenance or building issues that could become worse over time if not picked up.”
Clean that rangehood
There are a few problem areas in any home that can build up a lot of grime, including ovens and rangehoods, showers, baths, drains, and bin alcoves.
Amanda suggests a quick go over for these areas once a week or fortnightly, to avoid it becoming a huge cleaning job. It’s also a good idea to dust, treat carpet stains, and give your windows and mirrors a refresh.
“Generally the easiest way to clean the rangehood is to run the filters through a heavy cycle on the dishwasher,” she says.
“This will not only bring them up a treat, it’s also not too time or labour intensive.
“Another area of concern that comes up regularly is the shower. Giving it a spray with a shower cleaner once a week is the easiest way to prevent soap scum building up and mould forming in the grout.”
Maintain outdoor areas
Keep an eye on your gutters. If you notice them getting full, alert your property manager so they can organise to have them cleaned. This prevents water building up and leaking into the property.
“Try to stay on top of the garden as well,” Amanda says.
“The last thing you want to do is spend hours weeding the day before your inspection.
“Once a month going over them with a specialty spray should be sufficient to keep those pesky weeds at bay.”
Make a list
General maintenance concerns like a dodgy light fitting or squeaky door hinges can and should be brought up during inspection. That said, get onto your agent ASAP if you have a major issue like broken heating or cooling, leaking taps, plumbing blockages or fallen tree branches.
“A good property manager knows what questions to ask and what to look for in terms of maintenance or repairs, but if you’ve been living there for a while, you probably know the home better than anyone,” Amanda says.
“Jot down any little maintenance requirements as you notice them and bring them up when your agent arrives.
Amanda’s biggest piece of advice is to remember that a good property manager won’t be there to judge or try to trip you up.
You have every right to live in the home as if it were your own – as long as you’re not causing damage to the property or reducing its value.
Loading ...
