A huge part of delivering a habitable rental property is ensuring it’s safe. As a property investor, your goal is to build more value for your real estate asset. As such, it’s critical to adopt security measures that reassure renters they’re staying in a safe unit. What’s more, they’re likely to become long-term tenants when safety is a priority.
Make sure that your rental space is secure, well-maintenance, and insured to prevent your renters from wanting to move out. When you have firm security measures in place, you reduce your stress and avoid situations that place your renters and property in danger.
Here are some recommended ways to keep your rental home investment safe:
Prioritize Safety
Before thinking about upgrading the rental amenities, focus on creating more security features since this can attract plenty of renters. It adds a lot of value since safety is a must for every person looking for a property. You can also market your rental space with this in mind, making it a strategic plan.
Set up deadbolts to prevent trespassers from entering the unit easily. Check if the materials of your door and windows are durable to withstand a strong force. The tougher material is, the more protected your renters are.
What’s more, if you’ve recently evicted a tenant, there’s no time to waste in rekeying the locks. Change them to prevent former occupants from entering the unit. This keeps your current residents at ease.
Trust Your Tenants and be Transparent
Discuss the leasing agreement with the renters and allow them to ask for any clarifications. Knowing you’re on the same page helps you to work with them to keep the rental safe. Check if they have further security needs so you can work to deliver on them. When your renters feel secure, they can share this with prospective renters, making it easy to attract more tenants to your unit.
Be Consistent with Maintenance
In order to spot signs of danger or property damage, do routine property inspections regularly. Having a reliable network of vendors or hiring a property management company can help you complete this task.
They can also help when a property emergency occurs. You won’t need to get up past midnight or make a quick trip as a long-distance landlord to your rental if sudden issues arise. What’s more, tenants can feel secure knowing that there’s someone ready to help them at any time.
Engage the Services of a Property Manager
Working with a property management team helps you keep your rental space safe. They are ready to respond to noise complaints and other tenant concerns. They can also help you find the best renters and market your property vacancies.
Aside from that, property managers have thorough maintenance and property inspection procedures to keep your unit in top condition. They can also collect the rent and screen the tenants on your behalf, providing property owners with more free time.
Have Good Relationships with Neighbors
Neighbors are often the nearest people to report any situation related to your rental home and tenants, making them a good resource for help. When an emergency happens, you want to be able to depend on your solid relationship with your neighbors to assist when you need an extra pair of hands or when you need to keep in the loop.
Mind Your Insurance
Running a rental property means being exposed to plenty of risks. That’s why having insurance is required and can reduce your problems when unexpected security issues take place.
Review the policy of your homeowner’s insurance and read the fine print. Make sure your coverage for property damage is extensive before choosing an insurance firm. This is essential so you won’t face stress later on. It’s also good for renters to have their own insurance so they feel further protected.
Set Up External Lighting
Evaluate whether you need motion sensor lighting outdoors. In dim areas outside your rental, your tenant can feel safer when shadows get illuminated by movement. This also discourages trespassers.
Invest in placing security lighting near the entrance of your rental. You can also add more lighting in the garage and garden shed areas.
Beef Up Your Security System
Setting up a security system creates a safe rental environment. It makes renters trust you more and reassures them that they’re safe in your rental unit. It also discourages trespassers to break inside your property.
You can also end up with an insurance discount since rentals with solid security systems in place are often given a payment reduction. Additionally, you can benefit from tenants willing to pay extra for more safety features in a rental space.
When performing a tenant orientation during the first move-in day, teach the new residents how to operate the security system and inform them how to set up a passcode.
Promote the Security Measures Installed in Your Home
Advertising a secure rental unit can reduce the risk of break-ins since burglars tend to avoid high-security places. Put up signs in visible areas and post stickers.
When doing so, make sure to not state the model and manufacturer of your security system. Being too specific can backfire since someone might discover a way to circumvent the system you’re using to keep your property safe.
Bottom Line
As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to protect your property and in inhabitants. There are many steps you can take to achieve this goal. This includes improving security systems in and around the property, ensuring that maintenance issues are addressed promptly, checking your insurance and so much more.
If you would like help managing your rentals, contact the experts at Brentwood Square Management Services today!
