Winterizing a rental property usually falls on the shoulders of the landlord or the property manager, who is hired by the landlord to do the work on their behalf. Tasks such as caulking windows and fixing furnaces are repairs that your tenants won’t have to worry about. 

But with the pandemic and many companies being short staffed, oftentimes a call from your tenant to report a maintenance issue may result in a delayed service call for repairs. Through no fault of your own as the landlord, finding help to address the issue in a speedy fashion can’t always be the case.

Consider sharing this Rental Unit Winter Maintenance Checklist with your tenants. Using a little bit of proactive engagement, may not only save them the headache of waiting for a service call or repair, but it may even prevent the work order from ever needing to be placed.

✅ Check Your Furnace - The last surprise anyone wants on a cold winter day is to find out their furnace isn’t heating properly. Instead of waiting until you need it, try turning the unit on before the cold hits and make sure it runs ok. If there is a problem, it will be much easier to get someone to come service it, when the company is less busy.

✅ Prevent Pipes From Bursting - Make sure that all of your tenants are aware that on days when freezing temperatures are expected, they should turn their faucets on to allow a continuous slow drip. They can also open the cabinet doors to expose the pipe to the warmer air temperatures in the room, which should be set at or above 70 degrees.

✅ No Pests Please! - People aren’t the only ones trying to get inside and out of the cold. Rodents and insects are also drawn to come inside where it is warmer and where food sources may be available. Help put a stop to any unwelcome visitors by making sure not to leave food out on counters or open in the pantry. Be sure to dispose of all food properly and take the trash out regularly.

✅ Fans On Winter Mode - Do you know that most ceiling fans have a winter setting? Check the side of the fan box for a little switch. Slide the switch to the opposite setting. The blades should rotate clockwise, in order to push warmer air back down into the room. This simple trick will keep you warmer and will also help you save a little bit of money on your electric bill.

✅ Be Prepared - Even though the landlord may be responsible to plow the parking lot and shovel and salt the sidewalks at your address, it may take some time for them to get to your unit in the event of a winter snowstorm or freeze. If there is a chance you may need to venture out before they are able to get there, you should consider purchasing a shovel and a container of snowmelt/salt to assist yourself in being able to get safely to your vehicle. 

✅ Don’t Delay - Even if you follow every tip, there is still always a chance you will have an emergency arise during the winter months. Whatever the situation may be, contact your landlord right away to alert them about what is going on. The sooner, the better, so that your individual issue can be addressed right away or you can get your spot in line on the list of maintenance repairs. And bear in mind - the service delays may not be the fault of your landlord. Many times they are reliant upon the services of other specialty vendors as well, and at the mercy of their often already-full schedules. 

Sharing this rental unit winter maintenance checklist with your tenants may help prevent them from having to call you for a work order request. In the event there will be a delay for a work order that needs to be done, be sure to communicate in a timely manner with your tenants about the status of their request. Open communication is often the answer to helping eliminate frustration and unnecessary anger. Let your tenants know you are doing your best to make sure their needs are met and thank them for their patience and understanding.

Have you ever considered hiring a property manager to be the middleman between you and your tenants? Thousand Hills Realty is the premier property management company in the Branson, MO area and we would love the opportunity to discuss how our services could benefit you. Call us today at (417) 337-8081.