Your tenants may be harming your rental home’s kitchen and hardly even be aware of it. A kitchen contains plenty of various features and elements, from the floors and countertops to the appliances and cabinets. Each one of these shall have to be put to use and dealt with suitably well, or accidental damage can happen.
Caused by misunderstanding or neglect, unintentional damage to the kitchen can lead to expensive repairs for investment property owners. So being aware of just how this damage transpires and guiding your tenants on proper kitchen maintenance can uphold and secure your Bartlett rental homes in a pristine state.
An attractive kitchen is known as one of the major reasons why a tenant decides on a rental home. Nonetheless, a kitchen can indeed be exposed to unnecessary damage if it is not being properly maintained. Tenants may not at all times realize how to maintain a kitchen’s floor, countertops, or cabinets, unintentionally damaging these features in the process.
Keep in mind that wood or laminate floors can, in addition, be scratched or gouged by heavy furniture, heavy foot traffic, and even pets. Tile floors ordinarily can strongly withstand these, nonetheless, grout can stain or become damaged by strong cleaners or even magic erasers or scrubbers and dropping heavy objects can crack or break tiles. These types of deterioration and damage may start as a minor issue but eventually can equate to a kitchen floor that should have to be renewed years way, way prior to when its expected life is over.
Countertops are another hard surface in the kitchen that can be unconsciously flawed or damaged by an otherwise diligent tenant. Countertops can be swiftly become permanently stained or discolored by setting hot dishes and pans directly on the counter surface, as well as scored by knives from cutting food without a cutting board. A tenant may not appreciate or even know all that, likewise, a hard stone like granite can be damaged by heat, sharp objects, and harsh cleaners, such that expensive repairs have to be done.
Cabinets are another kitchen element that is often accidentally damaged by tenants. The most prevailing type of harm to cabinets turns up when a tenant attempts to clean these. Many household cleaners will take the finish off wood cabinets, as will products like magic eraser sponges. Cabinets that have been stripped of their protective finish are presumably easy to be further damaged by heat, steam, and grime build-up, which will then be difficult to remove at each cleaning.
Despite the fact that damage to each of these details can cause exorbitant renovations, few parts could lead to more difficulties than inadequately maintained appliances. Refrigerators, dishwashers, and ranges need regular maintenance and proper use to keep functioning properly for many years. For example, the useful life of a dishwasher can be severely shortened if a tenant doesn’t know how to load it properly or uses too much soap. Dishwashers also must be cleaned several times a year by running an empty cycle with a dishwasher cleaner or a cup of vinegar, or risk clogged drains or blocked sprayers.
Utilizing the wrong cleaning products on an appliance is one more prevalent reason for unintentional damage. Ovens, stovetops, and refrigerators can all be scratched or damaged by harsh chemicals or cleaning brushes, having them to function really poorly and look horrible. Cleaning is a principal aspect of regular appliance maintenance, but it needs to be accomplished correctly to guarantee that the appliance does not come apart or break down and have to be replaced.
Informing tenants about proper kitchen maintenance is a vital portion of operating a great rental home, but it can be complicated to do so without possibly damaging a landlord-tenant relationship. This is where the professionals at Real Property Management Investor’s Choice can assist.
We can help to properly educate your tenants while still encouraging good relations. We can also help make sure that your tenants are fulfilling relevant maintenance assignments in the kitchen each year, making the daily upkeep of your Bartlett rental home an easy and uncomplicated practice. Contact us online or call us at 615-810-9578 for more information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
