As the weather starts to cool, the importance of swimming pool maintenance is something that might be overlooked.

Pools in rental properties are a significant responsibility for landlords and it is important to be aware of the laws and regulations that surround regular maintenance and ensure that safety of the tenants as well as any visitors to the property.

It’s important to have a strategic approach to owning an investment property and ensure that your returns are maximised at each step of your investment path.

Minimise Vacancy

Every day your property sits vacant means a loss in income on your investment. Finding a tenant isn’t always straightforward or fast and it is important for the property to be well presented and in a good state of repair to attract the best possible tenant at the best price.

Professional photos are essential to present the property in its best light while videos and walkthrough inspections are highly regarded by prospective tenants. This along with advertising your property for lease ahead of the available date can help to find you an excellent tenant.

Approaching the conclusion of an initial fixed term lease, an investor must decide whether to renew the lease for a fixed period of time, or whether to allow the lease to move into a month to month or “periodic” lease. Below we outline the ins and outs of fixed-term and periodic leases and when each option may suit you best.

Fixed-term leases

If financial security is one of your key motivators, a fixed-term lease is a great option. As the name indicates, a fixed-term lease covers a set amount of time — the most common being six or 12 months. When a fixed term ends, you and your tenant can agree to a further lease. The lease becomes a periodic (month-to-month) agreement if a further fixed-term lease isn't agreed to, and the tenant doesn't vacate. The periodic lease continues until either you or your tenant gives notice to end the agreement.

With the tenancy comes a responsibility to maintain the property in a good condition, and addressing both regular cleaning and maintenance. Here is a guide to keeping your home in tip top shape:

CLEANING 

Recommended basis - Weekly / Fortnightly.

• Cooking areas and stove top. 

• Exhaust hood – clean all oil marks

• Sinks – remove food from drains and clean taps and water spouts.

• Benches – wipe down all surface areas and splashbacks (daily as required)

• Floors – vacuum or sweep floors before mopping

• Mirrors – clean all mirrors and remove wipe marks.

• Toilet – scrub and disinfect including under the seat and around the outside of the bowl.

• Shower – clean glass, taps and shower head, remove mould from grout, mop floor and allow area to dry.

• Basin – clean basin and drain, wipe down all bench tops, tiles and taps.

• Extras – wipe down soap holders, towel rails, toilet paper holder and  fan.

Did you know that black listed tenants target private landlords, who generally don't have access to tenancy database checks?

There is a range of tools and resources available to property managers to help us find quality tenants. Databases such as TICA can be a helpful resource to check and determine if prospective tenants have any "black marks" against their names.

Body corporate fees – or strata levies – are a key part of ensuring strata properties run smoothly. And while the fees can seem like a burden sometimes, having adequate funds available for the upkeep of common areas and larger maintenance and repairs means the property will be in top shape for many years to come. Different fees cover different areas of a property's maintenance.

This article outlines how body corporate fees are calculated and the specific things that these fees cover.

What body corporate fees and levies cover?

Body corporate fees cover payments for a range of things, including building insurance, maintenance of common property areas and amenities, contracted on-site staff (e.g., cleaners, gardeners and maintenance workers), utility bills for common areas, management fees for building managers, and works and repairs to the building.

How are levies calculated?……..

Mould is a fungus that can appear in your home when you least expect it. It sometimes indicates an underlying moisture issue in a home, but it can often easily be managed by following some simple tips.

If you ever notice mould appearing in your property, you should always speak with your property manager about having the building checked for water leaks or hidden moisture issues. However, if you discover that there’s no water leaking or moisture rising into your property, your mould issues can probably be resolved quite quickly. Try these simple tips for preventing and minimising mould in your home.

Gardens are a great feature to add to a property and can take a property from “house” to “home”. Not only does it give your investment curb appeal and create a sense of belonging in the backyard or courtyard, but it can be another feature that attracts prospective tenants. While an aesthetically pleasing garden can attract quality tenants, you need to make sure the garden is easy to maintain.

This weekend we launched a new property to market and saw an overwhelming response to the first open home. Exceptional property presentation, great photography and premier marketing combined to ensure we had over 30 groups through the first open home - in a CoVid safe environment, that left an line on the lawn for those eager to get inside

This has resulted in 6 separate applications. So what is the right process to ensure the investor gets the right tenant and the renters are all left satisfied with the service, despite not everyone being able to achieve the result they crave - a new home to move into.

Here are the top 3 things that many property managers fail to do:

What a wet old week it has been. As we kick off November 2020 I feel many property investors collectively wince as they consider whether this wild weather has caused any havoc on their property over the weekend that was.

Come today there may be some necessary clean-up, and we can never predict what mother nature will throw our way, however, what we can do is prepare. Kate Benjamin Property guides its investors through the process, proactively preparing their property and reducing the risk of unnecessary damage.

One of the many draw cards of living in the Hills, is its leafy streets and bush outlooks. If you were caught out in the rain this weekend, wondering whether your property was at risk, here are some things to consider implementing: