How to handle extended absences of your tenants

As a property owner, you put your rental property—one of your most important investments—in the hands of your tenants every day. Even if you have an on-site manager, the care and upkeep of each unit falls on your tenant.

Our loss control representatives guide property owners on the importance of good management and tenant relationships. A great way to help start that relationship is with a welcome packet filled with important contacts, property rules and expectations, useful information about local places of interest, and more. Another item to consider providing is our Extended Absence Checklist. It can be used when your tenant will be away from home for an extended time.

The checklist covers things like:

• Notifying management of extended time away so someone can keep a closer eye on things
• Setting thermostat to prevent issues such as pipe freezing or excess air conditioner strain
• Unplugging small appliances and charging cords to reduce the chance of an electrical fire
• Putting mail and newspapers on hold

This checklist is an excellent tool to help your tenants remember the actions that can help protect their belongings and your property when they will be away. Some property owners ask that the checklist be completed and returned to the office; others provide it as a resource. We will leave those details up to you—you know your tenants better than we do.

Nobody wants to spend their time away wondering if they locked the back door. This checklist is one way to help reduce the stress of traveling.  A happy tenant is a valuable asset, so finding ways to keep your tenants happy is important. This checklist is just one more opportunity.