When it comes to maintaining and caring for an investment property in the Temecula Valley, tenants and landlords have to work together. This is typically easy to do when you establish a good relationship from the start, and communicate openly and proactively about the expectations for the lease period.
It’s a tenant’s right to live in a safe, habitable, and comfortable property.
It’s a landlord’s right to receive the rent on time every month.
Responsibilities depend on the property, the lease agreement, and local, state, and federal laws that govern your investment.
Management One Professionals provides single-family and condo landlords, rental property owners, and real estate investors expert property management services throughout the Temecula Valley, including Temecula, Murrieta, Winchester, Wildomar, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, and other surrounding cities.
Temecula Landlord Responsibilities
Your main job as a landlord is to provide a property that is safe, habitable, and well-maintained. Before a resident moves in, it’s your responsibility to make sure everything works. You’ll be responsible for repairing and replacing anything that’s damaged or not working before the lease starts. Make sure the home is clean and ready for occupancy. The tenant has the right to inspect the property after moving in and agree to its condition.
During the tenancy, landlords are required to maintain the home and everything inside of it. If there’s an issue with the hot water or the heat, a landlord must fix it. When the washer stops working or the toilet starts running, the landlord is required to respond. Take care of these problems immediately. If you don’t repair the problem right away, your tenants have the right to file a complaint.
Temecula Tenant Responsibilities
Tenants are required to pay rent on time, honor the lease agreement, and take care of minor issues around the home while they are residing there. Landlords have the right to expect your tenants to change light bulbs and batteries in smoke detectors and remote control garage door openers. You can also require your tenants to change air filters on a regular basis and take care of lawn care, landscaping, and pest control.
Make sure all the tenant responsibilities are included in the lease agreement.
Your tenants are responsible for any damage that they or their guests cause. Property damage can be an accident, but even if it’s an accident, it’s the tenant’s responsibility. Something might break due to neglect or abuse. If a tenant’s child was using a cabinet door as a swing and it breaks, that’s the tenant’s bill to pay.
Documenting the condition of your home is extremely important so you can easily identify damage at the end of a lease period.
Address Responsibilities in Your Lease Agreement
Lease agreements are designed to protect your rights and those of your tenants.
The lease agreement is the best place to keep a list of your responsibilities and your tenant’s responsibilities. It will make it easy for the tenants to refer to the conditions in the lease agreement when they’re not wondering who is responsible for mowing the lawn or maintaining the roof.
Your lease agreement should also stipulate who is responsible for utilities and whether there are any pool or landscaping responsibilities that are to be covered by the tenant or included in the rental amount. If you hire professional services for things like pools, landscaping, and pest control, the lease should also reference that.
If you have any questions about your responsibilities versus your tenant’s responsibilities, or you need more information about property management in Temecula and the surrounding cities, please contact us at Management One Professionals.
