Renting out an investment property in Dayton, Ohio, requires you, as a landlord, to fulfill certain responsibilities. It helps you to provide a better rental experience to tenants and protect your investment against any lawsuits. It also helps you build a positive reputation in the neighborhood and attract more tenants to your property.
Here are a few landlord responsibilities you must fulfill to ensure a successful rental business.
1. Provide A Habitable Space to Your Dayton Tenants
As part of the Tenant Rights under the Ohio Landlord-Tenant Law, you must provide a rental unit equipped with utilities like running water, building, and safety. The unit should also adhere to the living standards set by Ohio state laws. The rental must be well-maintained and must not pose a health hazard to the renter. Ensure that you check the roof foundation for pest infestation, mold, or other issues, and inspect the property regularly to ensure that it is habitable.
2. Follow The Ohio State Rent Rules
Not every tenant in your rental will pay the rent on time with minimum hassle. According to State law, the renter has three days after the due date to pay the rent, after which the landlord can file for eviction. It is, therefore, your responsibility to be respectful of the above-mentioned time period and comply with Ohio state law.
3. Ensure Tenant Safety
As a landlord, you must make sure that your renters feel safe in your property. Install reliable locks on the windows and doors of the house. You can consider illuminating dark areas like the parking slot and entrance to improve visibility for the tenants. Installing security cameras and alarms to alert the tenant of intruders, smoke detectors, fire alarms, and other safety features in the house can also add to the safety.
4. Respond Promptly to Tenant Maintenance Requests
Addressing tenant maintenance requests on time is one of the chief landlord responsibilities of a landlord. In order to ease the process, you can enable a system where tenants can submit written or online repair requests. Once you respond to the requests, inform your vendors and contractors about the issue. Keep a list of all certified personnel in handy, so they can quickly resolve the problems.
5. Schedule Routine Inspections for Your Dayton Rental
As a landlord, you should schedule routine inspections of your unit to identify and document wear and tear issues and tenant-caused damages. You can also create a checklist to ensure that you categorically examine all required areas. If your tenant is occupying the unit, ensure that you provide them with a 24 hours’ notice before entering the premises.
6. Maintain Transparent Communication
A landlord is also responsible for communicating effectively with the tenants as the majority of conflicts occur only due to miscommunication. You can avoid this by facilitating communication with the renter via written letters, text messages, calls, or emails. Outline all your landlord responsibilities and obligations in the lease agreement. Even though there are a limited number of duties in the lease, deliver more than what you promised to your renter. It can increase their satisfaction.
7. Abide by the Ohio State Laws and Federal Laws
As a Dayton landlord, it is essential that you follow all the laws from the selection process of the tenants to the end of their tenancy. Here are a few important laws and rules you must comply with:
- Anti-discrimination law under the fair housing rules
- Security deposit limits and return rules
- Landlord disclosures
- State laws on termination of the lease and termination for violation of the lease
Taking on all the landlord responsibilities discussed above can be challenging, especially if you own multiple rental properties. You can consider hiring a qualified Dayton property manager to assist you with your duties as a landlord. We, at ManCo Property Services, have an experience of around three decades in managing rental properties for our clients. Our goal is to simplify the management process for Dayton landlords and we ensure that all your responsibilities are handled to perfection.
For more information, connect with us at ManCo Property Services.
