Your tenants may be doing things that damage your rental home’s kitchen without even realizing it. A kitchen has many different parts to it, from the floors and countertops to the appliances and cabinets. Every one of the components must be properly used and cared for, or else they may sustain accidental damage.
Through misunderstanding or neglect, unintentional damage to the kitchen can lead to high costs of repairs for investment property owners. However, when you know how the damage occurs, you can teach your tenants proper kitchen maintenance. Doing this would help them keep your Medford rental homes in its best condition.
An attractive kitchen is sometimes the deciding factor that makes a tenant choose a rental home. But a kitchen could undergo so much unnecessary damage if it is not being properly maintained. Tenants probably don’t know how to take care of a kitchen’s floor, countertops, or cabinets, unintentionally damaging these features in the process.
Keep in mind that wood or laminate floors can be scratched or gouged by heavy furniture, heavy foot traffic, and even pets. Tile floors normally outlast other kinds of floors, but grout can stain or become damaged by strong cleaners or even magic erasers or scrubbers and dropping heavy objects can crack or break tiles. This wear and tear might begin as a little amount, yet over the years it will result in a kitchen floor that must be removed and a new one installed years before its expected life is over.
Countertops are another hard surface in the kitchen that can be unintentionally damaged by a tenant, no matter how careful he or she is. Countertops can be permanently stained or discolored by setting hot dishes and pans directly on the counter surface, as well as scored by knives from cutting food without a cutting board. A tenant would not even think it possible that a hard stone like granite can be damaged by heat, sharp objects, and harsh cleaners. But it can and it would lead to expensive repairs.
Cabinets are another kitchen element that is often accidentally damaged by tenants. The typical kind of damage to cabinets usually occurs when a tenant attempts to clean them without knowing the proper way. Many household cleaners will take the finish off wood cabinets, as will products like magic eraser sponges. Cabinets that have been stripped of their protective finish are prone to be further damaged by heat, steam, and grime build-up, which will be more difficult to remove at each cleaning.
Though damage to these parts can be expensive to repair, few things bring about more problems than appliances that are not maintained properly. Refrigerators, dishwashers, and ranges need regular maintenance and proper use to keep functioning properly for many years. For example, the useful life of a dishwasher can be severely shortened if a tenant doesn’t know how to load it properly or uses too much soap. Dishwashers also must be cleaned several times a year by running an empty cycle with a dishwasher cleaner or a cup of vinegar, or risk clogged drains or blocked sprayers.
Placing the wrong cleaning products on an appliance is another usual cause for unintentional damage. Ovens, stovetops, and refrigerators can all be scratched or damaged by harsh chemicals or cleaning brushes, making them operate poorly and look unsightly. Cleaning is a vital part of routine appliance maintenance, but it should be done correctly to make sure the appliance wouldn’t cease to operate and need to be replaced.
Proper kitchen maintenance is an important topic for your tenants to know– it is essential in managing a quality rental home. However, educating them is quite difficult as it may lead to damaging the landlord-tenant relationship. The experts at Real Property Management Landmark are happy to help out with this. We can come to your aid by telling your tenants any significant information while simultaneously encouraging good relations.
We can even make certain that your tenants are doing their annual maintenance responsibilities in the kitchen, executing the daily upkeep of your Medford rental home an effortless and manageable process. Feel free to contact us online or by phone at 516-522-2859. We’ll be glad to answer any of your questions.
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