Rental property repairs will be necessary in every Los Angeles investment home, regardless of the age and condition of your property. Both owners and tenants need to know who is responsible for property maintenance and how it should be handled.
When you’re renting out a property, make sure your tenants understand your expectations. And, be prepared to respond to the routine and emergency repair issues that are your responsibility.
What Your LA Tenants Need to Know
The tenants are basically responsible for keeping the home clean and in good condition. Everyone has different standards of cleanliness, but it’s reasonable to expect that they will not make messes that cause deterioration to the property or attract pests. Reasonable expectations when it comes to home and yard maintenance include edging, weeding, and blowing away any trash, sticks, leaves, and debris. Inside the home, your tenants should know how to change air conditioning filters, replace batteries, and take care of light bulbs that have burned out. Tenants are also required to report maintenance issues right away. This is important, because if they wait too long, those repair issues get worse. It’s a good idea to show your tenants how to turn off the gas and the water in case there’s an emergency maintenance issue and the problem needs to be slowed right away. Show them where the circuit breakers are on the control panel as well.
Landlord and Owner Repair Responsibilities
According to California law, the owner is responsible for keeping the home in good, habitable condition. Tenants need running water, electricity, heat, and air conditioning. Routine issues are also your responsibility. When tenants submit repair requests for a broken dishwasher or a clogged garbage disposal, or leaky faucets, those repairs fall on the landlord’s side. This doesn’t mean that you can’t charge some of those repairs to the tenant, especially if the problem is caused by your renter. For example, if the dishwasher is broken because a small child was using the dishwasher door as a trampoline, you can expect your tenants to pay for that repair.
Pay Attention to Proactive and Preventative Maintenance
It helps to be proactive. When one faucet has a leak, it’s a good time to check all the faucets and pipes in the property. Part of your responsibility as an owner is to have major systems inspected and serviced so that larger problems don’t occur. Have the heating and cooling system checked once a year, for example. Preventative maintenance can save you a lot of money and preserve the condition of your property. Once a year, we recommend replacing the mulch in the flower beds, and you should have the gutters cleaned and the roof inspected. If you’re working with a professional Los Angeles property management company, you should expect inspections between tenancies which will help you maintain and repair your investment property. If you’d like some help determining what types of maintenance you’re responsible for, please contact us at Bell Properties. We’d be happy to work with you and your tenants on maintaining the condition of your property.
