Huntsville, Alabama, is a promising destination for property investors. thanks to high population growth and a favorable economic climate. Being a landlord involves more than identifying profitable properties and raking in rental income, though.
When renting your investment home to tenants, you must undertake many tasks to ensure your property remains appealing and profitable. Repairs and maintenance are among the most time-consuming and expensive responsibilities.
Read on to find out who pays for rental property maintenance in Huntsville and how maintenance coordination can help ease these costs.
About Rental Property Maintenance
Under Alabama law, landlords must keep their rental properties in a safe and habitable state of repair. To do this, you must inspect your property regularly and stay up-to-date with routine maintenance tasks.
A proactive maintenance plan helps you avoid costly repairs and replacements and keeps your tenants happy. This, in turn, leads to a higher chance of them renewing their leases.
Tenants aren't responsible for property maintenance costs unless they cause extraordinary damage. Landlords may arrange for them to perform some maintenance tasks, like lawn care, as long as this is clear in the lease agreement.
The landlord pays all other maintenance costs. One way to lighten the load is by hiring a property manager.
What Do Property Management Services Offer?
Hiring a property manager is one way to streamline the tasks associated with property maintenance and help reduce costs, in return for a monthly fee.
These fees do not include rental property maintenance costs, but they include a range of services that help you maintain the profitability of your property.
These include:
- Property marketing
- Tenant screening
- Record-keeping
- Rent collections
- Managing tenant repair and maintenance requests
Some property managers may also offer legal guidance about evictions, tenant screening, and housing laws. Most property managers offer maintenance coordination services to help landlords save on rental maintenance and repair costs.
The Role of Maintenance Coordination
Maintenance coordination means overseeing every aspect of property maintenance and repairs.
Property managers conduct regular inspections according to an annual calendar. They also carry out move-in and move-out inspections.
Some things a property manager will arrange and oversee include:
- Roof inspections
- Safety equipment testing
- Pest control measures
- Plumbing and electrical inspections
- HVAC inspections and servicing
Many property management services have an in-house maintenance team or ongoing relationships with local contractors. These help ensure their clients get the best prices and service for maintenance and repairs.
Apart from securing good prices, property managers take care of the applicable paperwork, keep a record of the work, and inspect the work afterward. They carry out tenant maintenance and repair requests promptly to ensure tenant satisfaction.
Preserve Your Property's Value
Effective maintenance coordination plays a major role in keeping your tenants happy, ensuring legal compliance, and saving money, but it takes a lot of time and skill. Hiring a property manager alleviates these aspects.
PMI North Alabama offers a full bouquet of services to help you maximize your property investments. We are backed by over 20 years of real estate experience.
Find an easier way to maximize your Huntsville properties today.
