Holiday Tips for Landlords

The holiday season is a joyful yet incredibly busy time for everyone, yourself and your tenants included. As the holidays get closer and closer, there are a couple things around your properties that you need to keep an eye on to protect your renters, the property itself, and of course, you. Here are the best holiday tips for landlords to keep you well-prepared this season.

via Pexels

Prepare for Temporary Vacancies

Since holidays are a time of travel, you should request that your tenants inform you of any extended travels. An empty property for an extended period of time can make way for a handful of miseries if not taken care of. For example, if the renters leave the heat off, it can lead to frozen and burst pipes. However, it also leads to the risk of squatters or package thieves. If the wrong crowd hears that there is a temporary empty apartment or home. Your property needs to be taken care of so that the tenants can come home after their trip and rest as if nothing ever happened.

While not every single absence this holiday season needs to be run by you as a landlord, it is imperative that you request knowledge of any extended stays. Consider how long is the minimum that you need to be informed of based on the crime rate in your area, the upcoming weather forecast, and if you expect plenty of mail. You do not need to be a house sitter, but you do need to be aware of dramatic changes to put proper precautions in place.

Prepare for the Weather

Speaking of the weather, you need to prepare for extreme temperatures this holiday season. You need to invest in salt to help prevent snow and ice from forming on the sidewalks and driveways as well as a snow removal service if the weather is severe enough. Second, you need to inform your residents of proper care this season. Thankfully, there are many helpful tips you can pass along to your tenants including but not limited to: windows should be closed and locked, the thermostat should be kept warm enough that pipes do not freeze and burst, and the space surrounding the radiators should be kept open to allow for the warm air to circulate.

You should also set rules on things your residents should absolutely not do, such as using their oven to help warm their space. This is incredibly dangerous and can put everyone at risk. Instead, they should invest in space heaters and keep them away from flammable items.

Keep an Eye on Decorations

Decorating with lights and inflatables for the holidays is one of the most common traditions. It gives people an opportunity to express their excitement for the holidays! However, too many lights can pose a dangerous threat to your property. You need to educate tenants on the dangers of overdecoration. Ensure that no cords are frayed, there should not be too much electricity in use when no one is home, and candles should only be lit when someone is able to watch them. If you suspect someone is using too much electricity or too many lights, see if you can do an inspection so that you can double-check everything.

When educating your tenants, you should also inform them of the safest methods to decorate their homes. For example, they should always use ladders properly and never stand on something wobbly to get extra height. The safety of your tenants reflects on you as a landlord and they need to prevent their own severe injuries.

Parking Management

Depending on the parking situation at your property, you may need to enforce stricter parking management to keep everything going smoothly. As mentioned before, many people travel for the holidays. You can expect unusual cars nearby as guests arrive at your properties to spend the holidays with their friends and family.

If renters pay for their own spots, they should not come home to see their spot has been taken by the friend of a neighbor nor should cars be in spaces that are not meant for parking or taking up the sidewalk or double parked, taking up the street. This not only disrupts the flow of traffic, but it can be dangerous for traffic patterns and other cars trying to pull out or find their way.

If you know of extended trips, you can offer up those currently vacant spots to upcoming guests as holiday parking. If not, inform your guests that they can not violate the terms of parking and that violators may be towed if necessary.

As you can see, there are many ways to get ready for the holidays as a landlord to protect your renters, yourself, and your properties! Follow these tips and the holiday season will be a breeze.