Preventative Maintenance for Tenants
Guidelines to prevent damages to your rental property and ensure your bond gets refunded.
The following points will help you to keep the rental property damage free and will ultimately prevent any loss of bond money when it comes time to vacate your lease. Remember that prevention is always better than cure!
1. Wooden / Laminate / Tiled Flooring – Ensure all furniture, in particular chairs, do not damage the timber floors. Use rugs throughout the area and stick felt pads underneath the legs of chairs and tables.
2. Carpets – Keep carpets clean to eliminate stains building up. It is your responsibility to ensure the carpets are in the same condition as when you moved in, except for general wear and tear. Use a chair mat if using an office chair on wheels, as the wheels may damage the carpet.
3. Dishwashers – Ensure you clean the filter in the dishwasher on a regular basis. You can also purchase dishwasher cleaner which you can run through your dishwasher.
4. Exhaust fans in bathroom and air-conditioners – Keeping filters in air-conditioners and exhaust fans clean is great for energy efficiency, and will eliminate the build up of fluff, dust and dirt.
5. Shower Glass Doors – To prevent the build up of soap scum on glass shower doors clean regularly with vinegar and bicarbonate soda. This will prevent damages to the glass.
6. Mould – To prevent a built up of mould in laundry and bathrooms, ensure adequate airflow. Open doors and windows, particularly in the laundry while using the tumble drier.
7. Gardens – Whether or not your rental agreement includes garden maintenance, you are still responsible for watering the garden and keeping the grass and plants in a good, healthy condition.
8. Pool – Whether or not your rental agreement includes pool maintenance, you are still responsible to remove debris and leaves on a regular basis to prevent damage to the pool pump. You also need to ensure the water level is continuously topped up, especially in periods of extreme Queensland heat. It is the tenant’s responsibility to have the motor repaired/ replaced at their own cost, if the above is neglected.
9. Pets – You must have permission in writing, from the owner to keep pets on the property and it is your responsibility to rectify any damage caused by your pets. At the end of the lease, a pest and flea spray must be done.
The above will go a long way in ensuring you get your full bond back when your lease expires.
Remember to please contact us as soon as you notice or become aware of maintenance issues that we need to know about. Do not wait until the routine inspection to inform us.