Are you a landlord in Corpus Christi, Texas? The city is a popular destination; however, it has faced a population decline of close to 1.5% since the most recent census.
This shouldn't discourage you, but it does mean that landlords will have to work harder to keep tenants happy. One of the most important things you can do as a landlord is your rental property maintenance.
To do this, you must schedule rental property inspections when appropriate. But what are the rules for property inspection frequency?
Here's what you should know:
Preliminary Rental Property Inspections
Your first step is to make sure your property remains habitable in accordance with Texas law. How often you visit the property depends on how long it's been empty.
However, as a general rule, once every six months should be sufficient. If you have an older property, you might want to conduct an inspection every three months.
During the inspection, you'll assess whether there's any damage or potential damage to your property. You'll need to make any repairs before you show the property to potential tenants.
Here are some things to look out for:
- Hard-to-remove stains and dirt
- Damage caused by pets
- Pollutants such as mold and asbestos
- Faulty appliances
- Leaks and spills
- Broken glass, wood, etc.
- Rust
Once you've assessed that the property is in great condition, you can rent it out. However, you might also want to conduct rental property inspections when you have tenants.
Tenant Lease Inspections
Once you've found the right tenant, you must let them know that you plan on conducting inspections during their stay. In your lease agreement, you should include a clause that allows you to enter the property for an inspection.
However, there are a few caveats you should know. The landlord inspection guidelines only allow you to conduct a set number of inspections as stated in the contract.
If the tenant is staying for a year, it's generally appropriate to conduct one inspection at the halfway point. The other inspection can be conducted shortly before they leave.
The tenant has the right to remain at the property at all times during the inspection. The inspection must also occur at a time that's suitable for both the landlord and the tenant. The landlord can't request the tenant to make themselves available at an unreasonable time.
Make sure you don't violate these rules. You'll miss out on a potential lease renewal, and you might even be invading your tenant's privacy.
Start Your Rental Property Inspections
Follow the steps in this guide when approaching your rental property inspections.
Make sure you always conduct preliminary inspections to ensure your home is in good condition. It's best to continue these inspections when you have a tenant. You can hire a property management company to help you conduct these inspections.
PMI Corpus Christi is one of the city's best property management companies. PMI has been in the property management industry for over 20 years and we'd be happy to chat with you.
