Conducting thorough property inspections and documenting the findings on a detailed report before tenant move-ins and move-outs is one of the essential roles of a property manager. This documented report of a rental’s condition becomes a valuable guide for a property manager for tasks like routine maintenance checks, tenant move-out inspections, and more. Having a detailed checklist of all items and articles in a particular rental, duly signed in by both landlords and new tenants, also rules out any potential misunderstandings (in the manner of false claims, etc.) down the road.
And finally, a well-documented property condition report (supplemented with photographs and if possible, videos) makes it easier for the property manager to take good care of the property during tenant occupancy. In fact, when a landlord or a rental property investor appoints a professional property manager, he is expecting that along with other tasks (property listing, tenant application screening, etc.), the property manager will also keep his rental (and the items therein) in good condition. And proper property documentation goes a long way in helping an Indianapolis-based property manager fulfill this task.
Indianapolis is known for its rich history as well as being home to various tourist attractions such as Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, White River State Park, and many more. With its growing population and diverse community, it’s essential for landlords to have their properties managed professionally.
What Steps Does the Property Manager Take to Document the Condition of the Property Prior to Move-in
I. Documenting the Condition
1. Conducting a Thorough Inspection
As an Indianapolis-based property manager, once you are in charge of a new rental, your first task is to conduct a thorough and highly detailed inspection of the whole property. Visit each room and make a checklist of every item such as walls, doors, windows, lights, floors, baseboards, closets, cabinets, etc. For kitchens, bathrooms, and garages include the items specific to these places (such as basic kitchen appliances, shower, shower door, toilet seat, garage door, etc.). Make sure to add in your report a ‘value’ column for noting down the general conditions of the items (good, fair, damaged, etc.) as well as a separate ‘notes’ column that should be used to add remarks on the specifics of any given item or article.
For furnished apartments in Indianapolis’s popular neighborhoods like Broad Ripple or Fountain Square similarly take detailed notes of all furniture and additional appliances. Finally, make sure to itemize every mechanical unit (air conditioner, furnace, water heater, washer & dryer, etc.). You may bring along a professional with you to report the present condition of each item.
2. Taking high-quality photographs
And as you’re in the process of inspecting the property in Indianapolis make sure to capture high-quality photographs often from different angles of every item. You will subsequently add these photographs during the process of finalizing your document. We also recommend that you record a video of the tour on your smartphone. TAKE NOTE that you ought not to confuse these photographs and videos with professional photos and virtual tour videos that we always recommend property managers or self-managing landlords include in their property listings. Although if you so want you can also add these last items on your property documentation report.
3. Completing a move-in inspection report
If the property management software you use includes a property documentation template you can fill in all the details you have gathered during your inspection tour into the template. Otherwise prepare the report on an excel sheet and add the photographs you have taken during your inspection at the end of the report with a short title/description of each photograph. If you also want to include one or more videos into the report first upload the videos on your rental online portal, create a separate section with the heading ‘videos’ and then add the generated links of the uploaded videos under the section. Finally, use a separate sheet at the end for collecting signatures of all concerned parties.
II. Tenant Move-in Process
Once the lease has been finalized and signed upon tenants should be presented with a move-in condition checklist that allows them to document the overall condition of specific areas of the home. The property management company usually will have their own checklist and/or photos from the previous move out and rent ready photos to document the condition of the property prior to a new tenant moving in. These documents are matched up to provide a baseline condition upon lease commencement. Tenants usually have a set timeframe to return the checklist back to the property manager. Usually 3-10 days. If there are items that need to be researched or investigated, the property manager will call or schedule an appointment to visit the property.
III. Ongoing Property Management
Of course, it is your job as an Indianapolis-based property manager to make regular property inspections (for preventive maintenance purposes as also to ensure that things are in proper order) and take care of all maintenance and repair issues. The property management software you are using should also facilitate smooth and effective communication between you and the tenants. This makes taking good care of properties in Indianapolis significantly easier.
Now once you visit a rental (either for regular inspection or addressing some maintenance request made by an Indianapolis tenant) keep a copy of your property documentation record handy. Check against every item on your list during a routine inspection and if you find anything damaged or in worse shape than before determine whether it’s due to negligence or regular wear and tear. If it’s due to negligence politely communicate this to your tenant. If they agree with you, you can then add repair costs for that particular item to that month’s rent (or deduct it from the security deposit).
IV. Preparing for Tenant Move-out
Once a current tenant has given notice, the property manager usually provides a move-out checklist. This list provides a step-by-step guide of what is expected of the tenant to be in compliance with the lease terms. It can include mandatory carpet cleaning and landscape clean up prior to moving out.
The next thing is to carefully compare the move-in and move-out documentation reports and see if the tenant has left the property in good condition. If not, you can deduct damages from their security deposit. Understand that once you’ve well-documented property documentation reports to support your claims, you can drastically reduce the chances of any potential dispute with leaving tenants.
Conclusion
Documentation in property management is an essential part of the job of a property manager in Indianapolis. This helps them with routine inspection tasks, maintenance and repair requests, etc. During occasions of contradictory claims or disputes, proper documentation will also be the best aid for a property manager to settle disputes in a relatively peaceful manner and avoid any lingering bitterness or resentment (hardly helpful for tenant retention purposes!). Finally, once tenants are aware that everything is kept well-documented they will also stay more responsible towards their Indianapolis rental properties.
Benefits of hiring a professional property manager
The task of property documentation can be performed by self-managing landlords or investors as well. However since this is part of the daily routine of an Indianapolis-based property manager they will often carry out tasks like vacancy advertising, tenant acquisition, regular maintenance and repair, rent collection, compliance with landlord-tenant laws as well as more abrasive issues like tenant eviction settling disputes and claims in a more effective and professional manner.
If you’re looking for professional property management services in Indianapolis contact Specialized Property Management today! Our team will ensure your rental properties are well-maintained and documented providing peace of mind for both landlords and tenants alike.
