Property Maintenance: A Tenants Guide To DIY

Are you a tenant who love their home? Well, if you are planning to stay long at the property, then you need to make sure your landlord wants the same thing. If the landlords do not enjoy having you as a tenant, they are unlikely to renew the lease or could potentially increase the annual rent significantly.

If you are not interested in renting long-term, then there is a simple set of procedures you need to follow. Apart from the obvious ‘do not damage the property on purpose’; you should also refrain from making significant changes without the landlord’s permission. Its possible, your landlord has more than one rental property, so taking care of small repairs or maintenance issues on your own without bothering your landlord can really make a difference.

1. Remove stains

Do not beat yourself for ruining the dining room rug. Such instances are common among tenants throughout the world. The wiser thing is to take care of the stains on your own. Either send it to the dry cleaner's or buy some chemicals from your nearest supermarket. If you decide to do it on your own, then make sure you know how it’s done. Also, do not forget to double-check the chemicals you buy.

The person cleaning the mold/mildew should wear gloves and eyewear for safety. Additionally, a scarf or breathing mask is equally important.

2. Fix damaged fittings

Another common thing to take care of around the home is broken handles and fittings in the kitchen. There is a good chance that you will find the same ones from a hardware store, such as Bunnings, for a very affordable price. Pick up a screwdriver and refresh your kitchen to its past glory.

3. Touch up paintwork

If you live with small children, then you might be aware of them showcasing their ‘art’ on their bedroom walls. Its a good idea to touch up the paint job in such instances. If you fail to do that, there is a good chance that your landlord might end up deducting double the expenses from your deposit.

4. Fill in holes

Of course, you can move that artwork from your bedroom to the kid’s room. However, that might leave behind empty holes on the wall. It doesn’t take a craftsman to fill them, and it is something we definitely recommend you should do.

5. Replace light bulbs

There are a host of things that come with the house when you rent it. For instance, the light bulbs and other fittings in your home. However, they have a limited lifespan and are prone to malfunction after a period of time. You could easily replace such equipment in your home without bothering your landlord for everything.

Part of property management the landlord will deduct a portion of your deposit in case of major damage to the property or its equipment/furniture. Ensuring you take care of these things on your own will definitely come in handy to keep your deposit intact.

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