The Christmas Season is officially here and as a landlord, you should probably take a page out of Santa’s book…make a list and check it twice. We have composed a list of 5 TIPS FOR LANDLORDS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON that can protect your investment and keep your tenants safe and happy.
Holidays are Risky
All the things that we love to do over the holidays could be possible risks that could cost you time and money. Just think of your tenants and what they will be doing over the next two months: holiday baking, multiple cords of decorations being plugged into one outlet, dried out Christmas trees in homes…. maybe it is our insurance paranoia setting in, but all we see is: Risk, Risk, Risk.
What should be on a landlord’s checklist during the holiday season? Asset Protection Insurance Associates have a few ideas that will help you spread some cheer, keep tenants safe and keep you from having to deal with costly repairs.
With that in mind here are 5 Holiday tips for landlords
- SPREAD SOME HOLIDAY CHEER – Let your tenants know how much you appreciate them with a personal Christmas card or a small gift. A happy tenant who appreciates their landlord is more likely to treat the property well. They are also less likely to leave, which prevents unwanted vacancy. Check out these easy services that make personalization a snap.
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- Touchnote – touchnote.com Makes sending personalized cards so easy, straight from your phone or computer. Just load in your addresses and they will send it for you.
- Shutterfly – shutterfly.com Design choices are endless and shipping is fast!
- Stonewall Kitchen – stonewallkitchen.com For an easy gift idea visit this site they have options at many price points that people love.
- CLEAN OUT GUTTERS – Now that the leaves have fallen to the ground, make sure that you clean out the gutters of your properties. Clogged cutters can cause a leaky roof or water damage to the interior or exterior of the home. Clogged gutters also make the perfect home for pests, rodents, and mold during the winter; cleaning them will solve many potential issues.
- ENSURE THE HEAT IS WORKING – A quick system check to make sure the heater is working will save you not only a phone call on cold night, but also prevents any potential wiring or pilot light problems.
- PREPARE FOR FROZEN PIPES – The time to prepare for frozen pipes is now, not when there is a foot of snow on the ground! Wrapping pipes and reminding tenants to drip their faucets during a hard freeze potentially prevent water lines from bursting.
- KEEP TENANTS SAFE – Before the season, send over a friendly reminder checklist to ensure everyone has a Merry Christmas:
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- Test your smoke alarms to make sure they are working properly.
- Check on food frequently when cooking. Keep stovetop free of clutter that can catch on fire (oven mitts, utensils, dish towels).
- Check to make sure cords are not frayed on seasonal decorations and appliances.
- Turn off electric decorations while you sleep and when you leave your home.
- Candles are the number one cause of home decoration fires. Never leave a candle unattended and always extinguish them.
- Prevent a Christmas tree-related-fire by picking a fresh tree and keeping it watered. Keep it away from heat sources and check its lights for frayed wires and broken bulbs. (This dried out Christmas tree set ablaze a family’s Maryland home due to faulting wiring beneath the tree and the home was engulfed within minutes. )
Making a list and checking it twice will ensure that you and your tenants have a Merry Christmas. If you enjoyed our 5 Holiday tips for landlords, check out our other blogs on how to protect your investment properties.
ASSET PROTECTION INSURANCE ASSOCIATES (APIA)
APIA specializes in real estate investor insurance. Multiple real estate policies can be a lot to track for investors. That is why APIA built a program to put all their properties under ONE insurance policy. APIA has been helping investors save time and improve cash flow nationwide since 2001. APIA also works with financial institutions and mortgage services to help simplify the process of REO and forced placed insurance.
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