There’s a point when your concept of a “decent” exterior varies from what your tenant needs and that’s when issues can emerge. A few renters may not be happy with just keeping their yard maintained –they feel the need to change or add a few to the rental home’s exterior features also. With do-it-yourself home improvements becoming more mainstream nowadays, the odds are that the increasing numbers of tenants will attempt to make “improvements” with or without your consent.
For instance, your tenant may feel that a patio umbrella simply won’t suffice – they want a pergola as an alternative. Though it may seem harmless enough to let them build one in the backyard, this is a hotbed for permit violations, damage to the property, and even personal injuries. (If somebody becomes hurt you may have a big legal mess on your hands, on top of everything else.) Broken sprinkler or gas lines, damaged siding, and poor workmanship can all create expensive repairs and dangerous conditions in the yard.
The same goes for other favorite home improvements, such as painting, replacing the garage door or adding a deck or porch. Unique personal preferences and/or low-quality remodeling lower property values, make it harder to rent it out. In a nutshell, it just isn’t a good idea to have tenants making changes by themselves.
The best strategy is to stop home “improvement” projects before they start. Create clear language within the lease to spell out the fact that tenants are not allowed to make permanent changes to your Brewer rental property. It is also essential to check on your property often, making sure that a sneaky tenant hasn’t taken matters into their own hands. Of course, this takes time away from doing other things.
This is the point at which you should get the phone and call Real Property Management Acadia. We perform regular property evaluations intended to stop unauthorized tenant improvements in their tracks. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us online or by phone at 207-561-7482.