The caring for a rental home necessitates both effort and regular maintenance. A good quality tenant appreciates this and will do their best to help property owners keep their White Marsh rental homes clean, maintained, and in good repair. But there are times where tenants– even the ones with the best of intentions– damage a home’s interior surfaces, albeit accidentally.
Sometimes unintentional damage occurs for the simple reason of a tenant not knowing that what they’re doing would result in harm. Other times, damage occurs due to accidents or as the result of a tenant’s poor decision. Knowing the usual ways a rental home’s interior surfaces can sustain inadvertent damage would greatly help a property owner. They would be able to keep their tenants informed and their rental homes operating in excellent condition.
When surface damage goes beyond basic wear and tear, tenant negligence is usually the source. Countertops, floors, and even sinks and bathtubs are used every day yet will typically last for many years, even under heavy use. But some tenants don’t know the correct methods of care and protection for that these surfaces require.
For instance, kitchen and bathroom countertops can usually withstand daily cleanings, food preparation activities, and a few spills without issue. However, countertops can be damaged by harsh cleaning products, mainly those containing bleach or ammonia. The type of cleaning product should be picked based on the variety of countertops that are in your rental home.
Countertops can be damaged when there’s an unusually heavy appliance or even a person standing on it. Too much weight on a countertop can break it. Some countertops may be damaged by placing hot pans or appliances on them, such as a toaster oven or a slow cooker.
Even a curling iron can cause burn marks on a bathroom countertop and can be difficult to remove. Cutting and chopping directly on a countertop may likewise damage the surface, forming small indentations that can eventually lead to worse problems.
Floors are another interior surface that tenants often accidentally damage. There are a lot of things that could go unnoticed even under a watchful tenant’s radar. Small leaks under a refrigerator or a drip under the cabinet from a sink water supply line could go on unnoticed, and these could, over time, create permanent water damage in a kitchen floor.
Moving furniture is one of the biggest culprits of unintentional floor damage. Dragging heavy items across a laminate or wood floor can cause scratches, gouging, and tears. This is mainly the way most carpets get torn. Setting heavy furniture in the wrong spot can crack or chip tile floors, also dropping heavy items, such as exercise weights or even books. Similar to countertops, applying the wrong cleaning products can permanently damage a floor, stripping off finishes and creating unsightly stains or bleach spots.
Bathtubs can also sustain accidental damage from harsh cleaning products. On the other hand, not cleaning often enough is also a common mistake. Mineral deposits from tap water build up to the point where they are almost impossible to remove and end up allowing mildew to form. Exactly like tile, a bathtub is designed to hold up to a certain weight. Putting something too heavy in a bathtub can cause cracks; and its misuse can cause different kinds of problems, from unfixable scratches in a solid-surface unit to rust or coloring dye stains.
The most useful way to help tenants avoid unintentionally damaging your rental home’s interior surfaces is by giving them all the necessary information. Help them learn how to properly clean countertops, move heavy furniture, and so on. Educating them can do so much for preventing expensive repairs. At Real Property Management Capital, we serve with both tenants and property owners to make sure that all parties care for the rental home with more than just helpful intentions, but with real practical knowledge as well.
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.
