Spring is here, and at this time of year the rental market really starts to pick up. After falling quiet over the winter, the return of light evenings and warmer weather sees a boom in people looking for a fresh start and a new home – and as a landlord, you want to be ready to take advantage of it. With that in mind, here are four useful springtime jobs for landlords!
1. Freshen up your marketing
If your property has been sitting empty over the winter, now is the time to get it out there, and that means putting some effort into your marketing. Make the most of the brighter days to take appealing photographs of your property, and do some shopping around to find the right letting agent for you. Perhaps you’re looking for a better deal, or you’ve decided you need an agent who will manage the property for you even after the tenants have moved in (such as Gough Quarters’ Managed option). Whatever you’re looking for, now is the time to put in some effort and shake up your marketing.
2. Spring clean the property
There’s nothing like a good spring clean to give a property a new lease of life, so get going with any improvements that you’ve been thinking about making over the winter. The colder, wetter weather may have caused some damage to your rental, which means it’s time to make repairs. Or maybe one or two rooms just need a new carpet and a fresh lick of paint. Sprucing up your property will make it more appealing to prospective tenants, or, if it’s already let, show your current tenants that you really care about it.
3. Tidy up the outdoors
Over the winter a rental property can easily suffer wear and tear – the lawn may have been neglected, the gutters become blocked or the window frames damaged by rain or snow. Landlords are typically responsible for maintaining the exterior of the property, so this spring why not give the outside of your rental a thorough health check? It’s also a good idea to bring in a professional to conduct a roof survey – many people recommend having this done in the spring in order to catch any damage that might have occurred during the harsh winter months.
4. Get some training
If you’ve never considered landlord training before, maybe this is the year to look into it. Some national organisations, such as the National Landlords Association, run courses throughout the year to bring landlords up to date with the rules and regulations of being a landlord, and with a little research you’re bound to find some relevant events happening near you. Training is particularly useful if you’re considering becoming a landlord full-time, but at the very least it’s a chance to meet like-minded people and get some of your questions answered.
Are you a landlord with a property to let in Bristol? Contact Gough Quarters today to get your rental on the market this spring.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
