Other Hidden Signs of Damage
You also want to check for hidden signs of damage. Normal wear and tear is to be expected (after all, your tenant was living there), but there could be hidden damage that isn’t noticeable at first glance. For example, perhaps there’s damage done to a cabinet door or closet door—e.g., the tenant accidentally was a little too hard on a cabinet or closet door and caused some damage, but you can’t see it right away, unless you do a careful inspection. Don’t forget to look underneath all the rugs. If there are any rugs that are movable, such as throw rugs, move them and make sure there’s no damage underneath. The same goes for carpeting. Typical carpet damage includes food stains, wine stains, paint stains, pet-related stains, cigarette burns, and other types of burns. If there’s carpet damage, look underneath at the subfloor to make sure there hasn’t been additional damage there. For example, water and urine can both soak from the carpet into the floor, and can lead to structural damage.
Unpaid Utility Bills
Finally, make sure utility bills are paid, paid in full, and paid up to date. This is an area that many rental property owners miss or forget about. A tenant might try to sneak away without paying the last month or two of utilities charges, leaving you to foot the bill before a new tenant comes on board if you’ve released the security deposit. You could live in one of the jurisdictions where utility companies will not turn on a new account, or cause needless hassles and aggravation for a new tenant turning on a new account when the previous account wasn’t paid up. Instead of unfairly asking your new tenant to pay the delinquent account, or costing yourself extra money, you need to square this up with your exiting tenant.
76
Powered by FlippingBook