Winter is coming which means your tenants may be looking for your help with seasonal maintenance.

Some of this might be by design: owners, managers or maintenance companies are often in charge of the condition of a multifamily property. This keeps repairs consistent and keeps individual renters or leaseholders from trying to attempt the repairs themselves.

While maybe some multifamily tenants/leaseholders may have actual experience in this type of winterization tasks, others may not be up for the challenge. Someone unskilled could potentially make things worse such as damage. And how do you assess who does what tasks in a multifamily property?

A smarter solution is to take care of weatherization yourself – it’s a good service that tenants will likely appreciate. A well-maintained place can increase curb appeal and cut down on future problems. The opposite is true: a place the seems to avoid this type of maintenance can lead to unsatisfied tenants wondering what else might be neglected or wanting to leave when their lease ends.

For those looking for fall and early winter maintenance, try these tasks:

• Remove leaves and gunk from these items along the roof. Making sure water can flow easily from the roof to the ground can cut down on risk of water damage to the roof and the rest of the home. You don’t want these items to freeze either since it could cause other problems. 

• HVAC checks. If the AC ran a lot in spring and summer, make sure it is still in good shape and pieces aren’t ready to break. It’s also a time to make sure the heater is ready for the season ahead. Change your air filter for sure, which is a habit you should get into monthly or at least every six weeks. If you can’t do it yourself, bring in a furnace expert. This will improve the overall energy efficiency of your tenants. 

• Look at landscaping. Are any trees in danger of falling and breaking if it gets too windy, snowy or stormy?  

For more tips on winterizing your multifamily property, visit Painted Horse Financial.