Part 2: Are Buford Residents Making Unauthorized Changes to the Exterior of Your Rental Property?

When residents move into a new rental property, one of the initial things they typically do is put in decorative elements. Sometimes, this impulse to customize their rental property reaches the exterior of the house as well. A lot of Buford property owners have a level of expectation for their residents to take care of the landscaping, and good residents are willing to do so. They want to take pride in their home too, even if they don’t truly own the place.

Now when your residents want to make changes to the exterior of the home, this is where things can rapidly go downhill. Residents might send requests to make changes like creating new flower beds, putting in new trees or plants in the yard, or turning a corner of the yard into a vegetable garden. Other exterior changes that residents might ask for involve new exterior doors, light fixtures, or even changing the color of the house itself.

You might be tempted to permit them to make particular changes, especially if they are willing to pay for it themselves. However, it’s important to understand that not all changes are improvements. If the resident’s workmanship is low quality, that could totally impact your property values and your ability to rent the home further down the road.

You could always ask them to put the property back the way it was when they initially arrived, but if sod has been disturbed or plantings moved or changed, that may not be a possibility. Future residents may not like the upkeep a vegetable garden requires as much as your current residents do, and it is things like these that make potential renters pass your property over for one with less maintenance. If your rental home is in an area where there is a homeowners’ association, there may be restrictions and added permissions that you need to follow before changes are permitted.

If residents go on and make changes to the exterior of your Buford rental property without your permission, you should take the right next steps. But, what should you do? You could charge them for any necessary repairs and then get somebody to fix it or you can try to make them do it themselves. Nonetheless, the best choice for you is to employ a property management company that can consistently supervise your properties and handle unauthorized changes as they happen as well.

At Real Property Management Executives Greater Atlanta, we recognize the troubles that arise from unauthorized property changes. We are dedicated to taking care of your investment, and that means ensuring your residents understand what unauthorized changes are and the consequences for making them. Our property maintenance programs are designed to boost the potential of your investment while keeping costs low. For additional information about our property management services, please contact us online or call us at 678-504-8680 today!