Looking after your Rental Property

This is a guide only and not a definitive list. Use your best judgment and look at your property through the owner’s eyes, remembering the presentation when you moved into the property. 

Weekly:

• All surfaces including walls, floors, skirtings, benchtops, and power points to be kept clean and free of marks
• Check all gardens and lawns for rubbish, and remove all junk mail
• All sinks, toilets, drains, bathtubs and shower screens to be cleaned – prevent build-up of soap residue or mineral deposits and clean any mould/mildew immediately.

Fortnightly:

• Mow lawns and trim edges (depending on the season, this may be weekly or monthly)
• Weed garden beds, trim hedges, remove dead palm fronds, etc

Monthly:

• Remove cobwebs from inside and outside home – an old stocking over a broom head works well
• Inside: Check cornices, corners, behind doors and around wood fire flues
• Outside: Check walls, eaves, light fittings and gutters
• Clean sliding door tracks and window tracks – vacuuming is easiest. Not doing this may damage your rollers which is a repair you may be responsible for!
• Brush over or vacuum window screens prone to dust build ups.
• Clean dust/build-up from ceiling fans or bathroom exhaust fans
• Clean the oven and stove – don’t forget down the sides, underneath and behind. Free standing ovens often have room to be pulled out from the wall for easy access.
• Clean greasy extractor fan – run through a dishwasher or soak in hot water with detergent and then rinse well
• Clean air conditioning filters – vacuuming is easiest for this job
• Clean bugs out of light fittings and replace any non-working globes
• Use Draino (or similar) on any slow draining pipes
• Check for and report any water leaks inside or outside the home

Yearly (Minimum)

• Professional cleaning of carpets – more often if stains/smells apparent

Treat Immediately

• Oil and grease stains on driveways
• Water marks on blinds and curtains
• Mould marks on walls or ceilings – report this to us immediately! Ensure adequate air flow to prevent mould from developing inside the house. 

Always remember to report any maintenance items as soon as they are noticed.

NOTE: This is not a definitive list, however is to be used as a guide to ensure major cleanups for inspections, or permanent damage do not occur around the home!

ROUTINE INSPECTION GUIDE

Routine Inspections are conducted to ensure the property is being properly maintained, and to ensure we remain up to date with maintenance issues for the property. A Landlord may request to attend a Routine Inspection, so we like to prepare our tenants for such an occasion with this Routine Inspection Guide. NOTE: photographs will be taken for our records during all inspections.

Outside

• Mow lawns, trim hedges, remove dead palm fronds & green waste, put away kids’ toys, remove rubbish and cigarette butts, sweep paths.
• Check for and remove any excessive dust or cobwebs from letterbox, light fittings, external walls, eaves and gutters.

Kitchen

• All dishes washed and put away, food/items in cupboards and benches wiped
• Clean oven and stove top inside and out, remove knobs and wipe around, glass, etc. Soak range hood filter and degrease surrounds.
• Clean the sink and dishwasher filter
• Wipe cupboard doors, sweep and mop floors

Bathrooms

• Clean glass, grout and tiles for bath and shower. Clean toilet. Wipe all benches, clean and mop floor.

Bedrooms, Lounge, Dining & Other Living Rooms

• Pick up everything off floors – vacuum and/or mop
• Ensure surfaces are clean and tidy. Make beds.

General – All Areas

• No bugs or cobwebs in light fittings, corners or around ceilings
• Spot clean marks and/or scuffs from walls
• Use a dustpan brush to clean flyscreens – clean glass & wipe window sills & tracks
• Clean dust from ceiling fan blades
• Change any light globes that don’t work
• Change batteries for any beeping smoke alarms