Replace heating system before new tenant?

[Patrick McCann]

I’m on track to close on my first property/househack/rental in a few weeks in Dover, NH. The house is a duplex with the upstairs unit on a newer natural gas system with instant hot water and that’s the unit I intend to occupy. The downstairs unit is currently on oil and the system is currently functioning but the tank has corrosion and the furnace is in rough shape. There is already a second meter for natural gas set up on the property so I plan to convert that unit to natural gas as well. I’ve already reached out to some HVAC contractors I know just to kind of get the ball rolling as I know often they can be scheduled out well in advanced. Would you recommend I get the system replaced before renting out the unit in case the contractors can’t get to it right away or wait till I have the system replaced? Thanks!