Every landlord will at some point face the situation of a tenant turnover. A tenant turnover is the period between when one tenant moves out of your rental property and the next tenant moves in.
When a tenant decides to vacate your rental property, you’ll need to prepare the property for the next occupancy. Vacancies can impact cash flow. To mitigate this, streamlining the vacancy period to find new, qualified tenants as soon as possible is key.
The tenant turnover process includes cleaning the rental unit, making any necessary repairs or performing maintenance, and re-listing your property to attract new tenants. There are many tasks that need to be accomplished in this often short time period, which can pose a challenge for busy income property owners. But with the right tools, you can navigate tenant turnover with ease, and use it as an opportunity to maximize your property’s success.
The Landlord's Guide to Tenant Turnover
Determining a Rental Rate
During a turnover, you are able to revisit your rental rate. When it comes time to determine the monthly cost of your rental, a property manager can help because they have a good understanding of key factors like the average vacancies in the area, how similar properties in the neighbourhood are renting, typical turnover times and current market conditions. This number will impact your rental income for at least the next year, so you want to get it right.
Finding New Qualified Tenants
One of the most important parts of a tenant turnover is finding the right tenants to replace your previous ones. Wondering how to find responsible tenants? You’ll need a property listing strategy in place, backed up by a thorough tenant screening process.
Start by creating a property listing. You’ll need to include relevant information in your listing to ensure you’re appealing to your ideal tenant. A great rental listing will include high-resolution photos of the property with good lighting and information about amenities in the surrounding area (think shopping, restaurants, and schools). You’ll also want to include key selling points like any new renovations, upgrades or additional perks, for example, parking or included utilities.
Next, you’ll need to ensure someone is available to reply to tenant inquiries promptly so that you don’t miss out on potential opportunities to fill your vacancy. The rental market moves fast, and a delayed response to a tenant can be the difference between moving into your rental, or someone else’s rental. If you are too busy to reply immediately, consider outsourcing this.
Doing Your Due Diligence
Once you’ve received applicants, the next step is to do your due diligence with a thorough tenant screening process. You’ll want to investigate important credentials such as their credit history, employment and personal references.
A property manager can help with this step as they have access to special tools and typically have years, if not decades, of experience vetting tenants and preventing costly and stressful issues. A property manager is an indispensable asset during the property listing process as they know how to market your income property on the right channels, to the right people, and at the right times.
Property Maintenance, Repairs and Cleaning
Once your current tenants have vacated the property, there may be repairs and maintenance to do. Assess the condition of the property. Are all appliances in working condition? Do walls need to be repainted? Depending on the length of your vacancy period, now might be a good time to undertake any renovations or upgrades to the property that you had in mind.
You’ll also need to make any repairs to damages the previous tenants may have incurred during their tenancy. Ensuring that your property is in good repair for your new tenants may require coordination with contractors, scheduling inspections, and investing time and resources into property upkeep.
A property manager can help expedite this process, ensuring it runs smoothly. Property management companies have access to qualified, reliable maintenance professionals and contractors. A property manager will also have resources to oversee any maintenance work or unit cleanings, saving you valuable time. Having dedicated help will ensure you get everything done in time, especially when the tenant turnover process has to happen in a short period of time.
Leasing and Documentation
During a tenant turnover, there will be documentation to be prepared for both the previous tenants and the new tenants. Proper documentation is crucial during tenant turnover. Landlords are responsible for updating lease agreements, conducting move-in and move-out inspections, and maintaining up-to-date records of rent payments and any other interactions with tenants.
There are legal requirements that must be adhered to by rental property owners. It’s important to be informed about the various legal and regulatory obligations during tenant turnover including local housing laws and fair housing regulations, as well as proper eviction procedures in the event that they are necessary. Enlisting the help of a professional property management company can be a great solution for busy real estate investors to stay on top of all required documentation and legal requirements.
Move-In Day
One tenant moving out of your unit, followed by a new tenant moving in shortly after can be hectic, to say the least. There are many moving pieces involved in move-in day including key handover, move-in inspection, and being available to answer any questions or help with any issues.
A property manager can be a huge asset during this time because they aim to facilitate a smooth transition. They can inspect the property for any damages during the move, and act as your tenant’s point of contact, making sure that moving day runs smoothly.
Keeping Stress at Bay
Balancing the responsibilities of finding new tenants while addressing any property-related issues and managing tenant relations can be taxing. Many property owners choose to delegate these tasks to a property manager to streamline the process and reduce overall stress.
A smooth tenant turnover process involves a lot of moving pieces – which can be stressful to manage. There is always the potential for scheduling conflicts, crossed wires, or communication issues. However, this doesn’t need to be the case! With the right approach and expert support, tenant turnover can be a breeze.
Be Prepared for Tenant Turnover by Enlisting the Help of a Property Manager
For landlords, tenant turnover can result in a loss of rental income during the vacant period, as well as the costs associated with preparing the unit for the new tenant. Being prepared ahead of time will make the turnover period quick and efficient, so you can get it rented out to generate income again. If you’re looking for an established Ottawa property management company with years of experience under its belt, DORE can help! Get a free property management quote here.