Regular property inspections are important for a number of reasons.

1. We can check on the general condition of your property.
2. We ascertain whether maintenance and repairs need to be done.
3. We check to see if any seasonal repairs or capital works issues need to be addressed.
4. We touch base with tenants.
5. We use the opportunity to review the rent being charged on the property.

What we do during an inspection.
A routine property maintenance inspection is carried out every three months and takes about 15 minutes to complete. During the inspection, our Property Managers;

• Check that the gardens, lawns and exterior are neat and tidy and in good order.
• Check the general cleanliness of the interior; including the oven and griller, bathrooms, toilets, carpets/floors coverings, light fittings, bench tops and surfaces, exhaust fans, mirrors, curtains, windows and flyscreens etc.
• Ensure any pets kept on the property are not causing damage.
• Note the condition of any recently repaired areas of the property.
• Check for seasonal maintenance issues that need to be taken care of.

We’ll also have a quick chat to the tenants (if they’re in attendance) and make sure there are no outstanding maintenance issues or changes to their situation that we need to be aware of.

If there are any major issues or breaches of the lease, we give the tenants 14 days to rectify the problem before going back for a second inspection.

Once the inspection is done, your Property Manager will complete a written report. We’ll include any relevant photographs and suggestions for preventative maintenance that may need to be carried out in the next few months. We send a copy of this report to the property owner and keep a copy on file for our records.

A well-maintained property will appreciate rather than depreciate in value, so it’s important that we keep an eye on the general upkeep and condition of all the properties we manage. If you have any questions about our regular routine property inspections, please get in touch.

Average and exceptional property managers are poles apart. At Rentwest we pride ourselves on having a team of great property managers.

As a business, our main priorities are to ensure your property is always rented to reliable tenants and that your investment is getting the returns you want. So how do we achieve these goals?

A great property manager -

• Performs thorough quarterly rent inspections on your property.
• Negotiates the renewal of a tenancy agreement on your behalf.
• Provides recommendations for maintenance and improvements to maximise your return
• Constantly assesses market rental values and makes adjustments when required.
• Assists with organising highly competitive, comprehensive insurance cover.
• Can help organise depreciation, tax advice and other complementary services.

Exceptional customer service – always.

If you’re paying a monthly fee for a property management company to look after your investment, you expect a level of customer service that goes above and beyond. A great property manager will always go the extra mile to make sure promises are kept and you’re getting great value for money.

The long, hot days of summer are certainly upon us! Contrary to popular belief, you can rack up big energy bills during the warmer months with the two worst energy wasters being air conditioners and fridges. Here are a few ideas to help keep your power bills down without sacrificing your comfort.

1. Keep your curtains and blinds closed during the day and open them up the cool of the night.
2. Make sure any draughts (under doors or windows) are fixed. If you notice you have warm air coming in through gaps, let us know and we’ll make the necessary repairs.
3. Pedestal fans and ceiling fans are energy-efficient ways to keep cool. You can reduce your air conditioner usage by using a strategically placed fan.
4. If you use an air conditioner, keep your room temperature at 24°C. Lowering the temperature by just one degree can increase your energy consumption by 5% to 10%.
5. Have a BBQ on hot summer days or nights to keep the temperature down inside your house.
6. Got a second beer fridge? Don’t run it all the time. Turn it off when it’s not in use.
7. Check your fridge seals. If you notice that there are gaps or cracks in the rubber, replace them. This will greatly improve the energy efficiency of your fridge.

The last few days have been scorching hot, which can be bad news for gardens. We know that our tenants do their best to stay on top of the gardening duties but we wanted to remind you of two things you should consider doing now.

Apply a wetting agent

Using a liquid soil-wetting agent (like Super Soil Wetter or Wettasoil Professional) will aid water in penetrating the soil. This is especially handy in times of extreme heat because it means that, when you water your garden, the moisture will be delivered to the roots instead of running off due to poor penetration.

Apply fertiliser

Your garden needs food, so fertilise in small amounts but often. If you give plants too much food when they’re under stress (like during a heat wave) it can make the problem worse. It’s best to use a water-soluble fertiliser so you can feed while you water.

Image credit: hummyhummy)

Did you know that installing an efficient showerhead is one of the easiest ways to save water in your rental property? In fact, installing a high efficiency showerhead can save your tenants 20 – 30 litres of water, per person, per day. Last year, the Water Corporation launched an initiative that makes it easier than ever to get your hands on one of these water-saving showerheads.

The Showerhead Swap scheme offers households in the Perth metro area the chance to swap their old showerhead for a brand new, high efficiency one, for free. Once you’ve received your 2011 water bill, all you need to do is take your old showerhead to the Returns/Exchanges desk at Bunnings to make the swap.

There are a few things you need to know before you head down to Bunnings though, so have a read through the Showerhead Swap website for more information.

In recent years, Australia has seen unprecedented floods and fires ravage communities all across the country. While devastating, these natural disasters have provided a wake-up call to many property owners and landlords. If you’re unsure of your obligations in the wake of a natural disaster, here’s a quick overview.

• If a property is damaged to the point it is unlivable, a tenancy can be ended. This can be carried out by either the tenant or landlord, but must be done legally (i.e. by completing a notice of intention to immediately end the lease).
• It's within your tenant’s rights to negotiate a rent reduction where the premise has been partly damaged in a natural disaster. Both parties must negotiate the exact details.
• It’s important to quickly establish what damage has been caused by the natural disaster. Liaise with your tenants (through your property manager) to make a list of areas that have been affected.
• Any damage to the property must be promptly taken care of. Life threatening damage should be fixed immediately, while less serious damage needs to be fixed within 14 days.
• One of the most important things you need to do is check your insurance coverage. It’s vitally important that anyone who owns a property knows, and fully understands, the details of their policy. Recent reports have shown that many insurance policies don’t cover flooding as standard, yet they will cover water damage caused by storms. The terminology used can be tricky so it’s best to get some clarification about what is and isn’t covered. 

The smart thing to do is familiarise yourself with your responsibilities and do a little checking, now. You could save yourself some big headaches in the future.

Maintaining your rental property is just part and parcel of investment property ownership. At Rentwest, we want to make sure we’re maximising your rental income as well as optimising the long-term capital growth of your property. One important way of achieving this is through regular maintenance and repairs.

You’ll be notified of maintenance or repair requests after one of our scheduled inspections or if a tenant lets us know about a problem. When we contact you we’ll provide you with a report that details the repair requested with supporting photos (if available) and quotes to complete the work. It’s in your best interests to respond promptly to any maintenance requests because:

• it shows the tenant that you care
• it reduces the possibility of a liability claim if there is an injury stemming from the item that needs maintenance
• it increases the possibility that you can successfully negotiate a rent increase.

Next time you receive a maintenance or repair request take action quickly. If you have any concerns or questions, or if you’d like to discuss your maintenance schedule and budget, be sure to let us know.

The rental market is a competitive place. With increase in demand predicted it’s only going to get tougher. If you want your property to stand out from the crowd, attract the best tenants and get the best returns you need to increase its perceived value. Here are 4 ideas to get you started.

1. Freshen up with a coat of paint
   Quick and relatively cheap, new paint helps a property to look fresh and clean, which instantly adds value. Neutral colours are the best – they help to create a blank canvas as well as a feeling of light and space.
2. Clean up the front yard
   Curbside appeal is vitally important. Make sure garden beds and lawns are tidy and bins are tucked away.
3. Add some extras
   Mod cons like dishwashers and air conditioning or included services like regular lawn mowing add tangible value. The initial outlay of money will be worth it in the long run because quality renters are prepared to pay a little bit extra if a property checks all the boxes.
4. Update the bathroom
   Bathrooms with peeling paint, dated fixtures and cracked tiles turn renters off. You don’t need to go overboard – update the vanity cupboards, change the colour scheme or replace some old fittings. A small amount of work will do wonders. 

(Image credit: Vagawi)

We’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. We’ve had another huge year at Rentwest and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our wonderful tenants and owners. So thank you all very much.

Our office is now closed until Wednesday 28^th December. As always, the emergency phone line will be manned during the break.

Enjoy yourselves and stay safe!

If you go to your letterbox on any day in December there’s a good chance there’ll be a Christmas card inside. It could be from friends or family, or it may be from a company you’ve done business with during the year. It’s a tradition – lots of businesses send Christmas cards. We used to, but we realised that no matter how pretty they were, they probably didn’t last past December the 31st.

So we decided to do something a little different. Cards are great, but we wanted to find a way of thanking our clients that lasted the whole year. We sat down, had a brainstorm and decided we would take our Christmas card money and sponsor a World Vision child instead.

Five years on and we now sponsor three kids thanks to your Christmas card money! We’d like to take this opportunity to introduce these children.

Esam
Esam (on the left) is from Jerusalem and he turned 8 this year. He lives with his parents, three brothers and three sisters, and loves playing football.

Kiros
Kiros (in the middle) is from Ethiopia and is currently halfway through Grade 7. His favourite subject at school is maths and he dreams of being a jockey when he grows up. He takes care of the family’s animals in his spare time.

Mahoul-Thia
Mahoul-Thia (on the right) lives in Lebanon and is in upper elementary school. She loves studying Arabic and her favourite time of the year is summer. When she leaves school she wants to be a teacher.

The team loves receiving the updates and notes from our sponsor kids. It’s great knowing that we are making a difference in their lives. While you may not get a card from us, you can feel good knowing that we’re doing something to help these kids on your behalf.

Are you interested in sponsoring a child? Check out the World Vision page for more information.