OWNER’S HANDBOOK

PROPERTY WELLNESS CHECKS

Why are periodic Property Wellness Checks important? Property Wellness Checks have several different purposes. We give the Residents a 24 hour notice that we will be checking on the property, changing furnace filters, and checking smoke alarms. While at the property our staff is doing several things.

      • Lease violations. We are looking for lease violations such as unauthorized pets, unauthorized occupants, smoking indoors, Resident caused damage, or anything else that might catch our eye.
      • Property condition. All real estate requires preventive maintenance such as painting, repairs, cleaning, pruning, etc. These periodic checks make sure that inexpensive preventive maintenance does not become costly emergency maintenance or even full replacement. For example, painting outdoor windows and trim can help wood last for years. Neglecting exterior paint can save money in the short term, but cost much more in the long term because replacement will be necessary.
      • Smoke Alarms. Smoke alarms have expiration dates, batteries grow old, and Residents can remove the alarms or the batteries. Ineffective smoke alarms put the Residents lives and property at risk, and add to owner liability. During the property wellness checks we test all smoke alarms, replace expired alarms or dead batteries, and add alarms to rooms that require them per the building code.
      • Furnace filters. Finally we replace the heating and A/C filter on forced air HVAC units. Clean filters decrease the wear and tear put on the HVAC unit and increase the life of the unit. Dirty filters can cause A/C A-coils to plug with dirt and cause expensive cleaning bills. In addition, clean filters improve the air quality for residents living at the property.

Keep in mind that our staff conducting the Property Wellness Checks are not licensed or certified building inspectors. They are not crawling around attics, examining foundations, checking electrical circuits, or any of the varied inspection points that a home inspector would check prior to a buyer purchasing a property. Our staff look for obvious items that need repair or attention. While at the property our staff will take pictures of items that need attention and any lease violations they observe. They pictures are compiled into a report along with notes on what was found and corrective action that needs to be taken. These reports will be forwarded to you and our maintenance manager will follow up on items that need to be repaired.

We understand property management and property investments. With over thirty years’ experience in property management and more than 300 offices in the United States and Canada, we have become the largest property management franchise in North America.