In many situations, renters and homeowners have different mentalities when it comes to home maintenance. When something breaks down or stops working, usually the first thing a renter does is put in a call to their landlord.
Renters may not think twice about what they put down the garbage disposal or the toilet because they automatically think their landlord will foot the bill when a problem arises. Homeowners, on the other hand, know that if anything were to go wrong, they have no one to rely on but themselves.
So, homeowners do their best to take care of their property so they can minimize all home-related costs. From their roof to their HVAC system, to their carpeting, and their indoor plumbing system, most homeowners are actively looking for ways to take care of their property and reduce repair and replacement costs.
Are You a Landlord?
Real estate can be a great investment and a fantastic way to create “passive income,” but owning rental property isn’t always problem-free. Landlords have to worry about finding good tenants who won’t destroy their property, and who will pay their rent on time.
Aside from the yard, the walls, and the carpeting, landlords are frequently concerned about the plumbing in their rental properties. Like our own bodies, when the plumbing is abused or mistreated, it can lead to costly, preventable problems.
So, what is a landlord to do? How can landlords get tenants to take better care of the plumbing inside rentals? Here are some tips on how to get renters to take more responsibility for the indoor plumbing in your rental property:
- You can start by educating them! You create a word document filled with plumbing tips and ask them to read it. For example, teach them what not to put down the garbage disposal and what not to flush down the toilet, and not to pour grease down the kitchen sink’s drain.
- In the lease, you can stipulate that the renter is responsible for the first $50 or $60 for calling a plumber out to the property. This may encourage the renter to treat the plumbing better.
- Create an inexpensive DIY plumbing kit with drain screens (for hair), a Zip-It tool (for unclogging small drains), a sink plunger and a toilet plunger, and show your renter how to use these affordable, yet effective devices. This $20 investment can save you and your renter a lot of time and money.
While many plumbing problems can be taken care of with the help of a plunger or a small drain auger, sometimes you need to call a professional Kansas City plumber. For your renter’s plumbing emergencies or for their plumbing problems that are too big for them (or you) to handle, have our phone number handy!
When you need the best plumbers in Kansas City, contact A-1 Sewer & Septic Service Inc.!
