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In today’s market, more and more people are turning to rental housing. If you own a second home such as a house or condo, or plan to rent out your basement suite or coach home, there are several things you’ll need to do to prepare the unit for new tenants. Even if you’re not a handyman, most of these improvements are easy to do! 

In this article, your Vancouver handyman on the basic ‘renos’ that your handyman can perform in order to get the unit in tip top shape and ready for its new inhabitants. The more obvious things, like electrical, plumbing, fire prevention etc. will be covered in another article.

These tips will help your property to be more appealing to potential renters, and will also help attract the right kind of tenants. After all, if you are renting out a dump, it’s unlikely you’ll attract nice clean responsible tenants.

General Cleaning

Before performing repairs and other preparations, it’s wise to give the entire unit a good general cleaning.

• Closets, cabinets and appliances should all be cleaned inside and out.
• Sinks, tubs and toilets should all be cleaned and sanitized.
• Windows should be cleaned inside and out.
• If the unit has in-built mirrors, they should be cleaned to a shine.

Once general cleaning is complete, it’s time to perform the rest of the work. A word of advice – save cleaning floors and carpets until everything else is done, otherwise you risk dirtying up clean floors, tiles and laminates we you do the other tasks on the list.

Window Coverings

Curtains and blinds can gather lots of dust and dirt over time, even if your unit has been unoccupied. Have all window coverings cleaned and dusted to cut down on allergens.

Repairing and Painting the Walls and Ceilings

There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to spruce up a space. Before painting, be sure to repair and fill any holes or dings in the wall. Then apply one or two coats of a neutral color to the walls and ceilings. Many paints these days only require a single coat, and are dry within 5 to 10 hours. Hanging modern wallpaper is also a great option.

Kitchen and Bathroom Fixtures

Ensure that all kitchen and bathroom fixtures (taps, spouts, shower head, garburator etc.) are all functioning properly with no blockages. If necessary, reseal the areas around taps and dials to prevent leakage and mold.

Replace Light Bulbs

While it isn’t the landlord’s obligation to provide light bulbs, it’s a nice courtesy to your new tenant, and will also help when you do your initial walk through inspection.

Test Appliances

If your unit includes appliances such as fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer etc. give each appliance a test run to ensure they are working properly.

Test Door and Windows Locks

Test all door locks to ensure proper operation, and be sure you have several sets of keys – one or two sets for the tenant(s), and two backup sets for you. Ensure that all window locks are also working properly.

Carpet Cleaning

For hygienic reasons, you should always have the carpets cleaned prior to a new tenant moving in. This will ensure a healthy environment for your new tenant, but eliminating mold, mildew, dust mites and stains.

Once all of the above steps are complete, your rental unit is ready for its new family! Still not up to performing any of the above tasks? Give your Vancouver handyman a call and he’d be happy to assist!