The prevalence of evictions has always fluctuated in Maryland, reaching a high of nearly 70% back in 2018.
Maryland's eviction laws make it easy for landlords to file evictions without much obstruction or notice for tenants. Despite the high prevalence of eviction filings in Maryland, no good landlord sets out to evict a tenant without good reason.
At the same time, you must protect your real estate investment. One of the ways you can do that is to perform regular rental property inspections. In today's post, we'll tell you how often you can perform inspections in Rockville, MD.
Inspecting your property regularly will help you keep tabs on your renters. Read on to learn more about how the process works.
Two Types of Rental Property Inspections
There are two main types of rental property inspections. The first is a standard move-in/move-out inspection, which you'll perform at the start and end of every tenancy. With the tenant, you'll walk through the property, making note of any existing damage or wear and tear.
When the tenant moves out, you perform the same inspection. If the tenant has created any new damage that doesn't fall under the purview of wear and tear, the cost of repairs will come out of their damage deposit.
The other rental property inspection is the kind you'll perform periodically during a tenancy. It's important to stop by your property every once in a while to make sure there's no nefarious activity going on that can harm your investment property.
Tips for Inspecting a Property
Our biggest tip for inspecting your real property is to follow the law. In Maryland, as in most other states, you need to provide the tenant with 24 hours of notice before entering the property.
Beyond that, you can inspect your property as frequently as you want. It's important to respect your tenant's right to privacy and, if there's no indication of property damage or illegal activity, there's no need to overdo rental property inspections.
If you're showing up to inspect the property all the time, you run the risk of damaging tenant relations. In the worst circumstances, they could become frustrated and move out, or report you to the local housing authority.
So, what do you look for during one of these inspections?
Walk around and take pictures of any areas that concern you. If there's any obvious damage, let your tenant know that they're responsible for fixing it. If they're the ones who called you about the damage, it's your responsibility to perform the necessary maintenance.
When your tenant has caused significant property damage that breaks your lease, you may want to proceed with an eviction filing. This can be a long process, so give your tenant a chance to rectify the problem before going through with an eviction.
Enjoy the Perks of Hiring a Property Manager
Rental property inspections are one of the keys to rental property success. They can be time-consuming, however. If you're living in a different area from your rental property, you may not be able to inspect your property regularly.
In these circumstances, it's best to hire a property manager. At PMI Maryland Solutions, we're Rockville's top full-service property management company. To learn how we can help you with inspections, maintenance, and eviction protection, contact us today.
