What do you make your tenants responsible for?

Question

Cassi Justiz · Answer

Basically what @Nathan G. said.

Anything a home owner would be responsible for as far as regular maintenance.

All utilities, lawn care, changing out air filters, cleaning out gutters, and overall maintaining basic working order (or notifying of non working items) for the house.

I don't include the small repair responsibility in my lease. I would rather have them call me about a small problem so that I can either walk them through how to fix it or get someone out there to fix it. I don't want someone DIY'ing a necessary repair to save on a service call only to have a major issue come up down the road.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

Tenants should have the same responsibilities as any normal home occupant. Keep the utilities on, mow the lawn, change the air filter, replace burned out bulbs, test the smoke detectors and replace batteries, shovel snow, rake leaves, haul off trash, etc.

For things that may require a special tool or knowledge, I ask them to submit a work order and let us take care of it. Examples may include changing the guts on a toilet, pruning a tree or shrub, or replacing and adjusting a sprinkler head.

Frank Chin · Answer

I rented out a SFR for over 35 years, and initially, the lease calls for:

1. Tenant responsible for utilities, water, oil for heating. We pay for service contract for the furnance and hot water tank.

2. Minor repairs under $100.00 later increased to $200.00

3. Lawn care, watering, mowing etc.

4. Shoveling snow, keep sidewalk clean.

Over the years, based on our experience with tenants:

We now use a landscaper who lived in the neighborhood. For tenants lawn care simply means mowing, it ranges from mowing weekly so the grass wouldn't grow too tall, to mowing after I get complaints from neighbors the grass is almost a foot tall and the town will be called. Tenants never edge the lawn, trim bushes, or bother to water the lawn. When tenants did it, our corner property was the most unkempt lawn on the block with neighbors complaining absentee landlords ruin the neighborhood.

One other benefit of using a landscaper is during vacancies, particularly if they're nearby, is they come by pick up the  litter and shovel snow if I can't get to it.

Be careful of having tenant doing repairs. One example is small leaks under the kitchen sink. Many tenants simply put a pail under it since it's a repair under $100.00. I find out about it after they move and found they often forget to empty the pails and the floor and cabinet underneath is damaged.

If you have tenants handling maintenance, make sure they know the basics. Some are totally clueless. One tenant called me to say the door knob for the bedroom is loose. Told him all he has to do is tighten two screws by the knob, and he went over to take a look, and says, "oh, I see it now". I was about to hang up the phone till he said "I don't own any screwdrivers, can you bring one over".

Christine Kankowski · Answer

They are also responsible for changing air filters, dealing with small common pests like ants. anytthing they cause and break like a window, sprinkler, etc.

Robert Biggerstaff · Answer

In my leases they are responsible for utilities in any repair that is under hundred dollars. The problem that you will find is is that if it exist and it looks like it’s under $100 chances are they’re not gonna call you about it.I have somebody take care of the lawn maintenance at all of my properties

Kenneth Garrett · Answer

@Andrew Clark

Tenants are responsible paying utilities of gas, electric, water, sewer, garbage.  They must cut grass and shovel snow.  Have never had a tenant complain about it.

Matthew Paul · Answer

First paying the rent , utilities , grass , snow , leaves

What do you make your tenants responsible for?

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