It isn’t easy being a landlord. You aren’t just managing an entire property; you also have the responsibility to manage your relationship with renters. For instance, fixing a broken bathroom appliance might seem like an easy maintenance task, however, how quickly you make these repairs is what counts in making or breaking a tenants’ trust.
One of the main things tenants expect from their landlords is a safe haven to live in. While some things might be out of your control, you should take extra precautions to mitigate all of these invisible threats from your rental units:
Mildew and Mold
It goes without saying that mildew and mold are a serious threat to the health of your renters, especially if they are already vulnerable to allergies and other health conditions. While most kinds of mold aren’t life-threatening, they all pose major health problems for tenants. The following are some common health problems of having mildew and mold in your home:
- Sneezing
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle Pain
- Runny Nose
- Headaches
- Fever
- Rashes
- A weak immune system
Now that we have established the risks of this invisible threat, make sure that you hire a professional to handle this problem. Trying to fix this problem on your own could just make matters worse.
Radon Gas
Radon is yet another invisible threat that can be a serious health hazard on rental properties. If you notice the presence of radon gas in your rental unit, or if it is discovered in an inspection, it would be your legal responsibility to disclose this to tenants.
It is also a wise decision to perform regular checks on your property for this invisible hazard. Of course, conducting these tests is not a DIY job and, again, you should hire a professional to classify your property as habitable or inhabitable.
Carbon Monoxide
There is just one way landlords can protect their tenants from this invisible threat and that is with a carbon monoxide detector. This detector can either be bought as a separate unit or with a smoke detector.
Check with your lawyer to check whether the law in your state requires you to install carbon monoxide detectors alongside smoke detectors. It would also be a wise decision to do the right thing and install both fixtures for the safety of your tenants.
Termites
It is in the nature of termites to be destructive, even though they don’t mean to. Termites feed on wood because they need cellulose to survive. This, of course, is very bad news for your rental unit and termites can cause very serious structural damage; sometimes beyond repair.
To curb this problem, you need to hire professionals for annual inspections and not leave it up to the tenant. If any of your tenants complain, promptly schedule an inspection and get rid of the threat.
A good preventative measure is to invest in wood that isn’t eaten by termites. This includes pressure-treated wood, composite wood, redwood, heartwood, and Alaskan cedar. Other categories of wood that are safe from termites include:
- Kempas
- Sentang
- Casuarinas pine
- Tualang
- Tallowwood
- Kou
- Milo
- Kamani
- Sugi
- Laotian teak
Final Thoughts
Well, there you have it folks. We have equipped you with the basics on how to keep your rental property safe from a number of invisible threats. However, if you are having trouble sparing time to do all that, you can always delegate these tasks to your property manager.
If you haven’t hired a property manager already, click here to learn more about our services and discover how an experienced property manager can share some of your burdens.