How to Maintain Your Rental Property

As a landlord in Regina, it’s imperative that you maintain your rental property. Routine maintenance can help you address issues quickly, keep your property in good shape, prevent maintenance emergencies and help you retain long-term tenants.

Each party to a lease agreement has certain responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). In this article, you’ll learn what they are and what they entail.

What Maintenance Responsibilities do Landlords Have

The following are some of the responsibilities you have as a landlord in Regina.

Supplying Trash Receptacles

Tenants have a right to be provided with outdoor garbage bins. As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your tenants have the proper number and size of trash bins for this purpose. You may also be required to build a sort of enclosure around an outdoor trash receptacle.

Provide Potable Cold and Hot Running Water

This is another responsibility landlords in Regina have. Tenants have a right to rent a property that has safe-to-drink running water. In addition, landlords should also include access to a functioning shower, toilet, and sink in their rental property.

Abide By Building Codes

Landlords must abide by the minimum safety, health, and building codes set out federally, provincially, and municipally.
A modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances a large centre island and white marble countertops
This includes the following.

  • Limiting the number of tenants that can live in one rental unit.
  • Providing tenants with functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Providing working plumbing systems.
  • Ensuring electrical systems are working correctly.
  • Making sure the home is free from mold and pests.

Perform Needed or Requested Repairs

This is a key responsibility for landlords. You must make needed or requested repairs in order to ensure your rental property remains habitable. If damage occurs due to negligence on the part of the tenant, then you can hold them liable for the costs of repairs. Examples of tenant-cased damage include the following.

  • Missing tiles.
  • Severely door locks or door handles.
  • Holes in doors and walls.
  • Broken toilet seats
  • Stained or burned carpets.
  • Smashed mirrors and windows.

Before accessing the property to make repairs, be sure to notify your tenant beforehand. The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) requires that landlords provide their tenants with 24 hours advance notice prior to entry.

Maintain Essential Utilities

As a landlord, you must ensure that all electrical, heating, plumbing, gas lines, and appliances are in good working condition. Additionally, make sure that you’ve paid any utilities that are under your name on time to prevent disruption of services to your tenant.

What Maintenance Responsibilities do Tenants Have?

Tenants, too, have certain responsibilities when it comes to property maintenance. Generally speaking, maintenance requirements include the following for tenants.

Keep the Rental Clean

As a landlord, you have a right to ensure your tenants keep your investment property clean.
a tenant in a black suit and tie reviews the cleaning clause in their lease agreement
Usually, a robust cleaning clause in a lease agreement will cover rules about how a tenant should deal with pests, biodegradable items, mould, hazardous materials, and garbage.

Prevent Health and Safety Hazards

Tenants must ensure emergency exits are always accessible. In addition, tenants must not remove batteries or tamper with the normal functioning of smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. However, tenants should replace the batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors as needed.

Abide by Building and Housing Codes

Your tenant also has a responsibility to abide by relevant building and housing laws. If they have, for instance, signed a lease for three people, then they cannot have four or more people living on the property at any time. Exceeding the rental occupancy limit poses fire and safety issues.

Prevent Mould Growth and Spread

Mold is an environmental hazard that can cause serious health concerns for your renters. It’s the tenant’s responsibility to discourage its growth by preventing excessive moisture from accumulating in the rental unit.

Tenants can do this by turning on a fan or opening the windows when taking a shower. Should renters notice signs of mold growth, they should report it to their landlord as quickly as possible.

Care for the Rental

Tenants must adequately care for their rental home.
a renter with rusty orange glasses and a short brown bob haircut wears blue latex gloves while cleaning a window with a yellow cloth
They can do so by taking the following measures.

  • Keeping all plumbing fixtures clean and sanitary.
  • Keep all appliances clean.
  • Avoid causing negligent or careless property damage.

Maintain the Lawn

You can require your tenant to mow the lawn on your rental property. However, we recommend you leave larger tasks, such as tree trimming, as your responsibility.

Bottom Line

A well-maintained investment property will remain profitable for many years to come. If you need expert help in managing your rental, Leenan Property Management can help. We’re a professional property management company operating in Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.