San Diego evictions are at an all-time high right now.
If you're a local landlord, you may be wondering how to prevent evictions in your rental property. The eviction process is long and drawn out, so avoiding them can save you a lot of stress and money due to vacancies. So, how do you prevent them?
One way is to screen your tenants very carefully with criminal background, reference, and financial checks. Another is to collect a security deposit and inspect your properties regularly.
Today, we'll explain the role of rental property inspections for San Diego landlords. Keep reading and you'll see that keeping tabs on your property will both protect your investment and improve tenant relations.
What Do Rental Property Inspections Entail?
There are two types of rental property inspections landlords need to think about. The first is the move-in inspection you perform at the start of the tenancy.
This involves taking a move-in checklist and examining a rental property for existing damage to protect a new tenant from paying for any damage they didn't cause. It also holds them accountable in the event they do cause damage.
Typically, you'd collect a security deposit at the same time you perform the move-in inspection. At the end of the tenancy, you do the same inspection, and any new damage is presumed to have been caused by the outgoing tenant. You'll pay for the repairs using the tenant's damage deposit.
Property Inspection Laws
The other rental property inspection is any other inspection performed during the tenancy. You'll need to follow California's rental property laws, which state that you must give a tenant at least 24 hours of notice before entering the property.
Other than that, you're free to inspect the property as often as you wish. Inspecting the property too often can violate your tenant's right to privacy and quiet enjoyment of your rental property. Quarterly inspections should suffice if there's no reason to suspect poor tenant behavior.
Inspections and Tenant Relations
Rental inspections don't always have to do with catching lease violations. They can improve tenant relations when your tenant makes the inspection request.
If there are maintenance issues with the rental, performing inspections will help you keep it in great shape. The more you do to improve your rental units for your tenants, the happier they'll be.
When you have happy tenants, you'll have good tenant retention and lower vacancy rates. These things are the hallmarks of a good real estate investor.
Hiring a Property Management Company Helps
Conducting rental property inspections is a must if you're going to protect your property in both the short and long term. Even when you tackle inspections the right way, however, they can lead to contentious moments with tenants. This is especially true if you find any property damage.
You can avoid any tension with tenants by hiring a property management firm to help you conduct inspections. Investment Safe Property Management is a top property manager in San Diego, offering comprehensive services that include tenant screening and rental inspections. Contact us today to learn how we can help you manage your rental.