Organizing your landlord life – to make is fun and less liability!

Organizing your landlord life – to make is fun and less liability!

Kathryn King, Owner / Broker, KJK Properties, P.C.

Property Managing and Selling Real Estate since 1998

1. Advertising
   1. Follow fair housing guidelines – when in doubt, call.  503-223-8295
   2. Have a call log – a simple way of tracking how you replied to calls
   3. Have a showing log – a simple way of tracking how you showed unit
   4. Tell them you are an involved landlord to keep them happy and to see to it maintenance. requests are addressed fast!  A bad tenant won’t apply.
2. Keep your delivery of documents in order!
   1. Lead Base Paint and lead booklet first
   2. Screening criteria next – first come first served, fair, complete info to screen
   3. Application last
   4. NOW FOR THE FUN!  Take the screening fee!
   5. Only screen applicants one at a time – and return any unscreened applicant fees.
   6. No requirement to accept tenants that don’t pass or hold units without payment
3. Inspections
   1. Do monthly drive by’s! 
   2. Always keep an eye on the yards – use a yard service and bill back
   3. Interior inspections – we do them after move in – see to it all is well.
   4. Take photos at move in and move out!  Don’t forget the EXTERIOR!  Lawns are expensive to weed and maintain!  Charge for killed plants.
   5. Do a follow up after move in – in writing – letting them know to report any discovered defects within a short period (5 – 7 days).
   6. Bi-annual interior inspections – we do them.  Make sure to tell your applicants you are an INVOLVED LANDLORD.
   7. Have your service personnel keep an eye on interiors while there – drug odor?  Pets?  Dirty? Vermin? Extra inhabitants?
4. Maintenance requests
   1. All in writing – no exceptions
   2. Follow up with habitability immediately

i.      Attorneys will comment on access and notice

1.  
   1. Handle other requests within 30 days

i.      Attorneys will comment on access and notice

1.  
   1. Charge tenants accordingly

i.      Always have your service providers note the cause!

1.  
   1. Log how you handled all maintenance requests. 

i.      Keep a maintenance file.

                                                             ii.      It helps establish what you did when for the long term – helps with resale

1. Funds
   1. Don’t misappropriate funds
   2. Keep separate accounts – one for general and one for “deposits.”
2. Move in / Move out appointments
   1. Take a move in form and do a physical walk through with the tenants
   2. Have them make all notations of condition in their own handwriting
   3. Both parties sign
   4. Take many, many photos inside and out
   5. Make no promises at move out
   6. Be as detailed as possible on move in and move out documents
   7. Take your original move in form to the move out
3. Final accounting
   1. Check all utilities for balances
   2. Transfer all utilities
   3. Check for late fees
   4. Check for damages line up work and get billed by vendors ASAP
   5. Check for unpaid prorated rent
   6. Get the check out in 15 days in Washington and 31 in Oregon
4. Records – keep them all for 6 years.
   1. Current tenancies
   2. Past tenancies
   3. Denied tenancies