Whether you’re living in a property or renting it out, wear and tear, as oppose to damage to a property is something which happens to every property.

As a landlord, you often cannot claim on the insurance for any damage deemed as wear and tear – nor can you claim on the departing tenant’s bond.

While wear and tear on a property is something you can’t avoid, there are ways you can reduce the effects and hopefully avoid spending too much to get the property back up to scratch.

Here are some of our tips:

1. Flooring

While carpet makes a house feel cosy, it’s prone to quite a bit of wear and tear, particularly in high foot-traffic areas like hallways and main living rooms. In addition, stains and scuffmarks can’t always be easily removed and professional carpet cleaners will add to the cost of sprucing up a property between tenancies.

Consider instead putting down quality tiles, laminate or even vinyl instead. All of these are harder wearing than carpet, and the floor will retain its look for longer. Moreover, these surfaces are easier to keep clean – handy if there are children living in the property.

2. In the kitchen

Install splashguards at the back of the cooker and a quality extractor fan to draw away steam. Make sure the sink has plenty of silicon around the edges to prevent water damage.

Use quality kitchen paint to reduce the chance of moisture damage and/or mould build up.

3. In the bathroom

To help prevent steam and mould damage, make sure the bathroom is well ventilated. You might look at installing a fan that automatically comes on when the light is switched on.

Use paint designed for bathrooms as many of these have anti-mould additives, and keep an eye on the grout and silicon areas, which may need a deep clean or refilling.

4. Keep on top of the plumbing

Dripping taps can mark sinks, and leaking pipes can cause a build-up of mould, or damage floors and lead to other problems. Most tenants will report leakages and drips, so as soon as they do, make sure they are repaired as soon as possible.

5. Regular inspections

Regular in-depth inspections of the property will reveal any areas which need attending to. For instance mending a lose hinge will prevent damage to the frame if the entire door falls off. Good property managers always check for maintenance issues when they perform their regular inspections.

Keeping on top of maintenance will not only prevent minor issues becoming major issues, but it will also demonstrate you care about your property, in our 40 plus years of experience, keeping on top of maintenance will encourage your tenants to look after the property.

We do more than simply manage and sell property; having been in the business for over 40 years, we’re keen to share our knowledge and experience to help you get the best out of your investment property. Get in touch if you want to know more!

Give us a call on 02 4956 9777, send us an email to mail@newcastlepropertymanagement.com.au  or pop into our Cardiff office for an informal chat.

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