When you own a building with apartments, the maintenance work is different than owning your own home. There are different elements which need to be kept updated too and where you have to make sure there aren’t any damage issues. There will be maintenance requirements after a tenant moves out also that may call for renovation. And if you’ve had tenants who have caused damage to your apartments, you may even have to call in a multi-family construction company. However, to try to keep damage in check, below are some ideas what to look for when performing an apartment inspection before a tenant moves out or before a new tenant moves in.
- Check all the carpets in the rooms to make sure they are stain-free. Also look at the paint on the walls and woodwork for damage such as marks, gouges or scratches.
- In the kitchen, inspect the kitchen cabinets for any burn marks, spills or water damage. If there is tile on the floor, ceiling tiles or tiles on the backsplash; ensure that they aren’t broken, chipped or stained.
- Check the bathroom to make sure the shower/tub is cleaned and the toilet is working properly.
- Check to make sure the doors lock and the windows aren’t broken and that they close.
For a general yearly inspection, you may want to check on the following:
- Is the number of tenants which are on the lease the number of tenants which are living there?
- If you don’t allow pets, are there pets? If you do allow pets, is the correct number and kind of pets in the apartments? Also, check for any pet damage.
- If you don’t allow smoking, can you detect if your tenants have been smoking?
For general maintenance on the outside of the apartment building, you may want to run through this list:
- Check the paint on the outside of the building to make sure it isn’t discolored, chipped or cracked. See that the windows don’t have cracks and are clean.
- Check that the roof doesn’t have any shingles missing and that the gutters are free of leaves and also debris free.
Keeping your apartment building in excellent shape will not only attract a better quality of tenant, but save on expenses in the long run.