One of the first things residents usually do when they move into a new rental home is put in decorative features. Occasionally, this impulse to customize their rental home extends to the exterior of the house as well. Many Milwaukee property owners expect their residents to maintain the landscaping to a certain extent, and good residents are willing to do so. They want to take pride in their home as well, even if they don’t really own the place.
However, things can go wrong fast when your residents want to make changes to the home’s exterior. As the owner, your residents might ask permission to perform changes like planting new plants or trees in the yard, making new flower beds, or turning a part of the yard into a vegetable garden. Other exterior changes that residents may ask for involve new light fixtures, exterior doors, or even replacing the color of the house itself.
If the residents are willing to pay for it themselves, you might be tempted to permit them to make certain changes. On the other hand, remember that not all changes are for good. If the resident’s handiwork is low quality, it can really reduce your property values and your ability to get renters in the future.
If sod was disturbed or plantings moved or changed, asking your residents to put the property back the way it was when they initially arrived may not be possible. Future residents may not want to deal with the upkeep of a vegetable garden entails as much as your current residents, and it is things like these that make potential renters choose another property with less upkeep. If your rental home is within a homeowners’ association, there may be limitations and additional permissions that you should follow before changes are allowed.
If residents go ahead and perform changes to the exterior of your Milwaukee rental property without your permission, you need to take the appropriate next steps. But, what should you do? You could charge them for any required repairs and then hire somebody to fix it or you can try to make them do it themselves. Nonetheless, the best choice for you is to employ a property management company that can regularly supervise your properties and handle unauthorized changes as they happen as well.
At Real Property Management Greater Milwaukee, we understand the stresses that arise from unauthorized changes to your property. We are devoted to protecting your investment, and that means making sure your residents understand what unauthorized changes are and the consequences for making them. Our property maintenance programs are designed to maximize the potential of your investment while keeping expenses low. For further information about our property management services, please contact us online or give us a call at 262-309-6961 today!
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.
