How To Prepare Your Toronto Rental Property For Fall

Let’s start this one off with an unmistakable tune: fall’s just around the corner. That’s right, rainy days are near, and one must consider preparing their rental property for the upcoming season. Besides enjoying the obvious benefits of renting their property, there’s a list of things every property owner must do before the first gold leaves hit the ground. Today, we’ll show you how to prepare your Toronto rental property for fall. Stay tuned for some helpful info!

#1 Think about safety

That’s right! The first thing you’ll want to do is inspect your place to see whether door & window locks work the way they’re supposed to. In the current state of affairs, folks appreciate feeling safe in their apartments/houses. And so will your tenants, even though we all remember that scene from the Michael Moore documentary where Canadians are being asked whether they lock their front door (most of them said NO). Come to think about it, that documentary was filmed more than two decades ago. Anyway, the door & window locks in your rental property tend to quickly seize or jam once the temperature drops. Therefore, a little WD-40 and some visual assessment for excessive wear will guarantee that they keep your rental property safe & secure throughout the fall & winter.

#2 Close your exterior hose bibs and give your AC some TLC

With freezing temperatures coming soon, you want to make sure that your pipes and expensive appliances are protected. A burst pipe can cause a lot of damage indoors and out.  Although you may have insurance, they may not cover a problem of this magnitude if basic maintenance is not performed.  If they do, you must consider your and your tenants’ time and effort in dealing with the fallout.  An ounce of prevention… 

#3 Inspect the chimney

The next thing you’ll want to do is to consider chimney safety. There’s some good reasoning behind such a task: blocked chimney debris could become a dangerous fire hazard. Not to mention the fact that it will cause your tenants to breathe in built-up smoke, which is clearly not a good thing for their health & well-being. And it certainly won’t be of any help when you advertise your property in order to find tenants in Toronto. So, how can you prevent such a scenario from coming to life? Well, you can, for instance, hire a chimney sweep professional to handle any issues that might be present. Also, think about adding an animal-proof chimney cap. That way, you’ll prevent critters from nesting in your chimney shaft. We’re sure that your future tenants will appreciate it.

Oh, and another thing: make sure that the fireplace’s checked too. Both these tasks should be completed by a WETT-certified professional.

#4 Check up with your tenants

Now, if tenants are inside your rental property, you’ll want to do a nice check-up. In every rental property-tenant relationship, the key to success lies in open communication; tell us the professionals at Monarch Moving. Fall might just be the best season for a yearly talk. You’ll need to ensure that your tenants can communicate an issue (no matter how small) if and as soon as one appears. That way, you’ll be able to react immediately and handle the problem before things get awry. All in all: talk to your tenants about the place. Check if they’re maintaining the property to the lease standards on which both sides have agreed earlier.

#5 What about the gutters?

Before fall starts, you’ll need to ensure that your rental property’s gutters are clean. That’s because leaves and other debris tend to clog up your gutters and prevent safe water drain from your roof, causing many issues to appear. We’re talking about rainwater overflowing your property’s roof, falling under the shingles, ice dams, and causing significant damage. Also, the additional weight from wet leaves will probably bend your gutters, which isn’t good. Also, you’ll want to clean your gutters thoroughly, paying close attention to corners and crevices since various debris seems to love those places.

We almost forgot to mention that you should trim the nearby overhanging trees. If they surround your rental property, that is. During the cool season, leaves and branches might find their way to your roof and accumulate there. They’ll cause some harm to your gutters and the roof itself.

#6 See that your insurance policy’s up to date

As we’re sure you’re well aware, thunderstorms aren’t such a surprise during fall. Storm damage and extended power outages are something you’d call a common thing, thanks to the somewhat unpredictable weather of fall and winter. So, yeah, another way for a property owner to prepare their Toronto rental property for fall is to check the insurance policy and coverage limitation before the first yellow leaf appears in your yard. Don’t possess enough coverage? If that’s so, you’ll need to reach out to a professional insurance agent, or a professional property manager, for that matter.

#7 A quick to-do list before we say goodbye

Before we reach the end margins of this article, we’ll introduce you to a quick to-do list for rental property fall preparation. Here are the things you’ll want to do: 

• Put your seasonal furniture in storage. 
• Clean your walkways, driveways, and porches. 
• Inspect the roof for weak spots, loose shingles, etc. 
• Cut overgrown vegetation. 
• Shut off outdoor faucets and drain pipes. 
• Scan your rental property for areas that need to be caulked to enhance your heating efficiency. 
• Clean your windows. 

That should do it! 

Final thoughts

That’s about all there’s to say about how to prepare your Toronto rental property for fall, the rainiest season of the year. By following our advice, we’re sure you’ll have no trouble finding new or keeping old tenants. Remember, whatever you do, open communication with your tenants is the secret to a good relationship with the folks you’ve rented the place to.