Rental Property Standards for Owners
PMI Service Group understands that property management is essentially a team sport, involving our personnel and guidance in preparing a property, but also needing owner's consent and approval to provide a high standard of quality with respect to a residence a tenant would enjoy.
At PMI Service Group, whenever we assume a new residential rental property, or do a move-out inspection, we want to make sure the incoming tenant will have an enjoyable experience after they move in.
INTERIOR
For the interior, the kitchen and bathrooms are the most used and most important rooms in a residence. Taking the kitchen as an example, we want to make sure it is functional, safe and enjoyable.
Kitchen
Each appliance should work as intended. For example, a stove/range should bake/broil and all gas or electric cook tops should not only turn on, but also function in an acceptable range of low to high settings. The oven door should open and close properly, the glass should not be cracked and the oven handle should be installed and fastened tightly. All buttons and knobs should be installed and for any button or knob on an appliance, they should function as intended. This is the same for the fridge, microwave (if provided), dishwasher, etc. If there is a garbage disposal unit, we do recommend removing this item.
For non-appliance items such as kitchen cabinetry and pantry closets, etc. all pull handles or knobs should be installed and tight. Ideally they should all match. If there are missing pulls try to find and install replacements. Keep in mind the size of the pull as well. In the photo you can see a 4 inch pull needs to be replaced.
The cabinetry should be clean inside and out, with the shelves cleaned to accept dishware, etc. If cabinets are painted, the paint should be uniform and not chipping, peeling or have areas with paint missing. Shelving should be rigid, sturdy and strong enough to support items that would fit in a typical kitchen pantry such as small electronic appliances like mixers, blenders, etc.
Bathroom
For bathrooms we want to see all sink and tub faucets functioning properly, etc. Cabinetry should also have all pulls and knobs installed and tight. The P-traps should be snug and secure, without leaks, etc. Rigid tubing should be used rather than the "flex" tubing for rental properties. In the photo below you can see a clean install of rigid plumbing under a bathroom vanity with an offset exhaust in the wall.
Shelves and drawers should be clean, ready to accept the personal items of a new family. Toilets should be properly affixed to the floor with toilet seats that are not broken or damaged and function properly. All towel rods, hooks or toilet roll hooks should also be affixed tautly to the wall and be horizontal and plumb as intended. The ceiling vent should function and be vented out through the roof to properly remove moisture.
Rooms
For other rooms such as bedrooms, family room, dining room, hallways, etc. we want to make sure flooring is cleaned properly. Carpeting should not be stained or damaged. Flooring should be uniform without abrupt height differences at transition points to other rooms with different flooring, creating a tripping hazard. If there are any odors embedded in the flooring, or stains, the flooring should likely be replaced, especially when considering pet urine. Universal television mounting brackets are recommended to be left in place as most TVs will mount to them. Also it's best to take a look at the quality of the paint on the walls, doors, window trim, etc. Is the paint applied evenly? Is the color uniform and of uniform shininess? Is there paint on light switches and switch plates? Was the painter very untalented and painted over door handles and hinges, as in the below photo? All these visual aspects of a property's condition affect the way a first-time onlooker will perceive the property. If an owner doesn't care for the property, the tenant's expectation will be similar. This will hurt the property's chances to find a tenant as well as a tenant who will care for the property.
Walls and Ceilings
Walls and ceilings should have uniform paint, preferably with color choices that would fall into non-trendy, standard color palettes. Damaged walls, damaged paint, holes from doorknobs, large scratches, etc. should be repaired, touched up and/or fixed. Something like a "magic eraser" can do wonders to clean up a wall without having to repaint. A few nail holes are ok, even leaving some nails (because tenants will likely put a new nail anyway) and don't necessarily need to be patched and painted. Outlets and switches should all be properly covered and those covers should be taut to the wall and not have gaps. The switches and switch plates should be cleaned as well, absent of finger prints and dirt. Door stops should be installed to prevent door handles from punching a hole in the wall. Vent covers should be clean and absent of rust or discolorations. Vent covers are inexpensive and easy to remove and replace.
Windows
All windows should open and vent easily, as intended. Windows should not "stick" or be very difficult to operate and should not slam closed if they do not operate correctly. Latches and locking mechanisms should all function, for safety and security of the occupants. There should be no cracks in the window glass and screens should all be present and not contain rips and tears.
Window treatments and blinds are usually installed for the size of the window and stay with the property as a feature. These should all also function correctly and not have unsightly stains, missing pieces or malfunctioning elements. Bathrooms should have a privacy screen either with a blind or opaque matting cut to fit the window pane to prevent onlookers.
Lighting
Electrical fixtures should also function as intended. The door bell should work. All lights and ceiling fans should operate and have all bulbs working. Ceiling fans should operate quietly and not rattle when turned on. All light fixtures should be affixed properly to the wall(s) or ceiling(s) and be tight.
Alarms
We recommend a combination smoke+CO detector as the cost is about the same as a smoke detector. They are required in any room considered a bedroom. One should also be located near the HVAC system in the basement.
EXTERIOR
For the exterior, the home should not have any damaged fascia and soffits. The gutters should all be straight and properly pitch water to the downspout(s). Any decking should be checked for nails that have risen up, and handrails should be present.
Lighting
Lighting should all function as in the interior of the home. Fencing, if present, should be functional, plumb (vertical) and not damaged. Window wells should have covers.
Locks
Entry locks should all be suitable and functional.
Hardscape
For hardscape, such as concrete or asphalt, any city inspection will flag a mismatch in height greater than 1/2 or so, which would cause a tripping hazard.
Overhead Doors
All garage doors should function as intended. The garage door springs and hinges should be regularly lubricated and safety beams installed as recommended by the manufacturer, and function properly.
Landscaping
Landscaping should not contain dead trees or trees with dead limbs that can fall. Gutters should be free of dirt, branches and any live growth which will damage the roof/gutter system and prevent rainwater from being properly guided to the downspout(s). It is best to not have any trees growing adjacent to the home as the roots can damage the foundation or drive/walk-ways as well as filling gutters with leaves creating additional maintenance issues.
CONCLUSION
This guide is intended to improve the tenant's experience, but also the owner's experience as well. Happier tenants stay longer. Small issues turn into big issues with time, so addressing these things in advance can help save maintenance costs in the long run. If you have any questions on these items, just reach out to your PMI Service Group contact or call us at (630) 912-8742.
