Are you thinking of renting out your home? Experts advise on what to do before handing over the keys to the tenants

Are you thinking of renting out your home? Experts advise on what to do before handing over the keys to the tenants

The rental market usually picks up as autumn approaches, with students returning to Lithuania’s major cities and those wishing to start the new academic year in a new home. Gintaras Stanišauskas, a building maintenance specialist at Civinity Namai, a company that provides maintenance and administration services for apartment buildings, tells us what work is recommended to be done now in order to properly prepare for renting out a home.

Check the condition of the plumbing

According to Civinity Namai, water emergencies are one of the most frequent problems faced by residents of apartment buildings year after year.

Most of the time, these types of accidents are caused by poor-quality water pipes, faulty or improperly installed plumbing, or a kink in the plumbing connection hose. It is therefore important to check these engineering systems before renting out the property to make sure they are in good order and to repair any defects.

“Old, rusty metal pipes and valves, poor-quality plumbing hoses and fittings, and rough-cleaning filters are some of the main causes of plumbing accidents in residents’ flats,” says G. Stanišauskas.

To check whether the plumbing in the apartment you are about to rent is in good condition, he suggests checking for leaks, looking at the plumbing hoses and making sure they are tight, not broken or otherwise damaged.

Take measures to prevent water accidents

Even if the plumbing in the apartment you are about to rent seems to be in good order, it is not possible to prevent water accidents 100% of the time. It is therefore recommended that landlords take precautionary measures to avoid damage to their property and that of their neighbours.

Plumbing accidents very often occur during working hours, when residents are usually not at home. Thus, water that starts flowing out of place at the wrong time is not noticed. In addition, it can be difficult for tenants to react quickly and ensure that a water emergency is handled in time and properly, the water is properly disconnected and the emergency services are informed.

Therefore, to avoid damage to homes and neighbours’ property caused by water emergencies, Civinity Namai recommends installing plumbing fixtures with a sensor that detects water leaks and automatically shuts off the water supply.

Check the operation of fire safety measures

Fires caused by electrical problems or negligence on the part of the occupants are also a major risk that should be considered before handing over the home. To reduce the risk of a fire in the apartment, it is advisable to keep fire safety requirements in mind and to take safety precautions in the apartment to be rented.

If the apartment is still not equipped with smoke detectors, it is recommended to install smoke detectors before handing over the property to the tenants. Remember that every home must have at least one smoke detector. If there are smoke detectors in the dwelling, it is a good idea to check them to make sure they are working before handing over the dwelling to the tenants:

“This can be done by pressing the test button on the smoke detector – if the detector is of good quality, it should sound an audible alarm. If this is not the case, make sure that the plastic protective labels have been removed from the smoke detector, that the detector is switched on and that the battery is not low,” says G. Stanišauskas.

It is also recommended that tenants keep a fire extinguisher in the apartment. However, remember that if you bought it a long time ago, make sure it has not expired before you leave it with the new tenants.

Pass on all maintenance information to tenants

When handing over the apartment to the tenants, give them the manager’s contact details along with the keys, and tell them in which cases the tenant should contact the building manager and in which cases they should contact you.

It is recommended to agree on a general rule that in case of emergencies, such as an accident, the tenant must inform the administrator and the landlord immediately, and in other cases, for additional services, only after prior consultation with the landlord.

It is recommended that tenants not only hand over but also record important information about the property when handing over the property:

“At the time of handover, take photographs of the condition of the apartment, ensuring that the most valuable items, equipment and their condition are recorded. This will avoid disputes with tenants in the future,” says a Civinity Namai representative.

When handing over the apartment, also show the new residents where the apartment’s cold and hot water and electricity meters are located, and where to turn off the water and electricity supply if necessary.

Also agree on how the meter readings will be declared and who will inform the utility providers of the meter readings and in what way.

Inform the administrator and the nearest neighbour about tenants

The owners of the flats, not the people who live in them, are responsible for all issues related to the common areas and engineering systems of the apartment building. So, even if you rent out your apartment, you, as the owner of the apartment, still have the right to participate in residents’ meetings and votes, including written ballots.

In order to ensure that information about the issues of the apartment building reaches the landlords who have rented it properly, Civinity Namai advises landlords to use customer self-service or, if the administrator does not offer such a system, to inform the administrator of your new place of residence and to provide the administrator with a contact number where the administrator can reach the landlord.

“In addition, if the administrator is provided with the tenancy agreement, the administrator can bill the tenants directly for the monthly services provided, which saves time and reduces the burden of additional bills for the landlord,” says Mr Stanišauskas.

It is also advisable to inform the nearest neighbour when transferring the property to tenants:

“Life is full of situations, including dishonest and untidy tenants who can damage both your property and your neighbours. Therefore, it is a good idea to have friendly eyes living nearby to inform you about suspicious or unwanted behaviour of tenants,” advises Civinity Namai.