When residents move into a new rental home, one of the first things they usually do is put in decorative elements. This urge to personalize their rental home sometimes includes the exterior of the house too. Many Smyrna property owners want their residents to maintain the landscaping to some degree, and quality residents are willing to do so. Even if they don’t actually own the property, they also like to be proud of their home.
However, when your residents want to modify the exterior of the home, things can quickly go wrong. As the owner, you could get requests from residents who want to implement changes like creating new flower beds, planting new trees or plants in the yard, or turning a portion of the yard into a vegetable garden. Other exterior modifications that residents might request include new exterior doors, light fixtures, or even changing the color of the house itself.
If the residents are willing to pay for it themselves, you might be tempted to allow them to make certain changes. Nevertheless, it is important to consider that not all modifications are for the better. If the resident’s workmanship is of poor quality, it can seriously influence your property values and your ability to find a tenant for the home someday.
You can always ask them to return the property to the way it was when they initially arrived. However, if sod has been disturbed or plantings were changed or even moved, this may not be doable. Future residents, unlike your current ones, might not want to deal with the upkeep that a vegetable garden entails; and it is things like these that make would-be renters choose another property with less upkeep.
If your rental home is in an area with a homeowners’ association, there may be limitations and additional permissions that you must heed before changes are allowed. If residents proceed and perform changes to the exterior of your Smyrna rental property without your authorization, you should take the proper next steps. But, what do you need to do? You can charge them for any repairs needed and then hire somebody to fix it or you could try to make them fix it themselves. Although the best route is to hire a property management company that can both consistently monitor your properties for you and take care of unauthorized changes as they happen.
At Real Property Management East Cobb, we understand the stress that comes from unauthorized changes to your property. We are dedicated to protecting your investment, and that means ensuring your residents understand what is considered unauthorized changes and the consequences for making them. Our property maintenance programs are devised to maximize the potential of your investment while minimizing costs. For more information about our property management services, please contact us online or give us a call at 770-622-5657 today!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
