Your tenants may be ruining your rental home’s kitchen without even knowing. A kitchen is formed from multiple components, from the floors and countertops to the appliances and cabinets. Each one of these elements should be used and kept properly, or there may be accidental damage done to them.
Through misunderstanding or neglect, unintentional damage to the kitchen can be very expensive for investment property owners to repair. However, when you recognize how this damage happens, you can train your tenants on proper kitchen maintenance. This would aid them in keeping your Salem rental homes in top shape.
One of the biggest reasons why a tenant decides on a rental home is an attractive kitchen. But a kitchen can also experience a lot of unnecessary damage if it is not being properly maintained. Tenants may not have the knowledge of 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 are known to be more durable, 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 type of battering and overuse may appear minor, however, over a length of time, it will exacerbate and turn into a kitchen floor that needs to be ripped out and replaced years before its expected life is over.
Countertops are another hard surface in the kitchen that can be accidentally damaged by a tenant– even a tenant who is very careful. Countertops can quickly become 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 never even think that a hard stone like granite can be damaged by heat, sharp objects, and harsh cleaners. But the truth is that it can be damaged and it would leave the owner with expensive repairs.
Cabinets are another kitchen element that is often accidentally damaged by tenants. The most prevalent type of damage to cabinets occurs when a tenant improperly cleans them. 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 more liable to be further damaged by heat, steam, and grime build-up, which will be harder to clear out at each cleaning.
While the cost to repair damaged features may be high, few things create more problems than poorly maintained appliances. Refrigerators, dishwashers, and ranges need regular maintenance and should be used properly in order 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.
Applying the wrong cleaning products on an appliance is also a common reason for unintentional damage. Ovens, stovetops, and refrigerators can all be scratched or damaged by harsh chemicals or cleaning brushes, making them function badly and look terrible. Cleaning is a necessary part of proper appliance maintenance, but it must also be done correctly or else the appliance may no longer work and need to be replaced.
Educating tenants on the subject of proper kitchen maintenance is a critical part in the management of a quality rental home, but it can be a challenge to do since it runs the risk of damaging the landlord-tenant relationship. This is the area where the skilled specialists at Real Property Management Colonial can come to your aid. We can help out by informing your tenants of pertinent information as well as encouraging good relations.
We can also aid you by guaranteeing that your tenants are completing the required service jobs in the kitchen every year, performing the daily upkeep of your Salem rental home a trouble-free and easy as pie process. If you are interested in learning more or have additional questions, please contact us online or by phone at 540-595-7411 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.
