Part of taking delight in a home is customizing a living space, and renters are no different. When they rent a home, they want the ability to set up an aesthetic space wherein they can be comfortable. Nevertheless, a rental property is unlike an owner-occupied home. Renters and owners of single-family rental properties in Seattle both understand that any modifications made to the interior of the home need landlord consent. Residents of your rental homes going beyond décor and furniture and making unauthorized changes can put you in a difficult spot as the owner.
The ones who ask before they do interior changes to your rental property are the best kind of residents. Sometimes, after having signed the lease, a resident will come to a realization that there are certain aspects of the home they want to change. Perhaps they want to paint some or all of the walls a different color, set up new bathroom fixtures, replace the blinds or other window coverings, install a new light fixture or ceiling fan, or maybe even paint the kitchen cabinets.
Part of you might be thinking that if they want to remodel your home for you at their own expense, perhaps it’s better to just let them. However, there are a few things to consider before agreeing to it. Most important of these is probably quality. You have no assurance that the quality of the work is going to meet any professional standard if they are the ones doing the changes. Also, if they do really poorly, it could lessen your property’s value and then cost you even more money to fix it in the future.
Another important matter to remember is that interior design trends come and go quickly. Painted cabinets might be popular now, but in a year or two, you may learn that residents want more natural wood tones. While charging a departing resident for any needed repairs is totally within your rights, keeping your rental house neutral is still the most cost-effective option.
As a rule, residents who opt to ignore the terms of their lease and still do unauthorized changes are responsible for restoring the home to your liking upon moving out. Of course, some residents will attempt to avoid the expense involved in putting the home back to its initial state, potentially resulting in pricey collections or even legal action.
When residents start doing unauthorized changes to your Seattle property, figuring out what to do next can be tough. This is why you should have the right property management company to keep an eye on things, pick quality residents who would take care of the property, and take action to protect your real estate investment if and when it is necessary.
At Real Property Management Eclipse, we offer all of these services to homeowners of single-family rentals – and more. Our skilled property managers can create a maintenance program just for you while also dealing with the stresses and headaches of handling lease violations. Would you like to learn more? Please contact us online or call us at 425-209-0252 for additional information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
