Stopping Idaho Falls Tenant “Improvements” in Their Tracks

When keeping an Idaho Falls rental property, it’s intrinsic not to disregard its exterior condition. How a rental home appears on the outside may sincerely reshape its property values, not to account the home’s curb appeal. It bodes well to painstakingly deal with the elements of your rental home and to hope that your tenants will help to make it great.

When your view of a “nice” exterior conflicts from what your tenant likes, worries can follow. Some renters aren’t happy with just having their backyard maintained – they want to revise or add to the rental home’s exterior features as well. With do-it-yourself home improvements such a universal fad right now, it can be assumed that there will be an increase in the number of tenants that will want to make “improvements” with or without your authorization.

For instance, your tenant may figure out that a patio umbrella isn’t good enough for them – they want a pergola instead. Though it may appear not risky enough to let them create one in your yard, this is a hotbed for permit violations, damage to the property, and even personal injuries. (If someone was hurt in the process you may have a serious legal turmoil on your hands, on top of everything else.) Broken sprinkler or gas lines, damaged siding, and poor workmanship can result in pricy repairs and dangerous conditions in the backyard.

The same can be said for other standard home improvements, such as painting, replacing the garage door or adding a deck or porch. Unique personal preferences and/or low-quality remodeling lower property values, make it harder to rent it out. In a nutshell, it simply isn’t a good idea to have tenants crafting home improvement projects on their own.

The best strategy is to stop home “improvement” projects before they start. Use clear language within the lease to demonstrate the truth that tenants are not permitted to create permanent changes to your Idaho Falls rental property. It is also crucial to check on your property frequently, ensuring that a sneaky tenant hasn’t gotten matters into their own hands. Admittedly, this takes time away from performing other things.

That’s when you should take the phone and give Real Property Management Southeast Idaho a call. We operate regular property evaluations prepared to put an end to unauthorized tenant improvements in their tracks. If you want to know more, please contact us online or by phone at 208-522-2400.