Tip du jour

Tip du jour. Don’t use dryer sheets, especially if you or your family members have respiratory problems. Most fabric softeners are full of phthalates, chloroform, camphor, and other chemicals that can damage the respiratory, nervous, and reproductive systems, according to the EPA. Their fumes are released through a dryer’s vent–and because the substances on the sheets aren’t rinsed out as with the liquid kind, clothes stay coated with the toxins. Isn’t that disgusting…!

Tip du jour. Read about a LL who refused to take checks because “I don’t want to chase ‘em down if the checks bounce. Only cash, money order, cashier’s check for me.” I wonder how often he gets paid in rolls of coins…

Tip du jour. It is rare today for me to receive maintenance calls, because we make semi-annual inspections as well as thorough reviews when units turnover. We work hard to make sure the units are in good condition at all times, plus we try to respond quickly to any issues during tenancies.

Tip du jour. I scan my applications onto my hard drive, and shred the hardcopy – this way I can store and recover any application any time. I think the required ‘save’ time is five years.

Tip du jour. Have quarterly unit inspections and check SA batteries during your inspection routine. Make sure that your tenant sees that you are checking the batteries…keep some Smoke Alarms with you to immediately replace those that have failed. Also have a supply of 9v batteries with you during the inspections. If you make a practice of replacing the batteries every 6-9 months, there will be no reason for the tenants to use the excuse that “it was chirping so I had to disconnect it.”

Regular Maintenance

Dryer Vent & Exhaust – Clean the pipe every 3 to 6 months. Snake a round brush with long, flexible piping (about $20 at hardware stores) into the tube to pull out lint clinging to the sides. If you can’t get all the way through from one end, you may need to pull sections of the pipe apart–or hire a professional duct cleaner. Always vent your dryer to an open outdoor area otherwise the moisture will end up causing wood rot, mold, mildew, etc.

Maintenance

A lot of my landlord cronies have learned this lesson the hard way. The hard way is the expensive way…always! Deferring maintenance until your tenants are falling through the rotting bathroom floor or the iron railing pulls loose from the concrete steps is not only dangerous – it’s monumentally stupid on the part of the landlord. First, why would you ever let a property fall into such disrepair and expect your tenants to respect you as a businessman and property owner – this is a business and the property is your asset. Second, don’t think that your insurance is going to cover the repair bill for issues that result from shoddy maintenance. Third, don’t think that security deposits will make you “whole” – security deposits are NOT for general maintenance. Fourth, quality tenants don’t want to live in a poorly maintained unit – quality property begets quality tenants. Fifth, don’t expect sympathy from the judge.

Be a smart, responsible businessperson…take care of your clients and your business!