Keeping your tenants safe when renters are moving during covid-19 is crucial so here are some thoughts on best ways to do it from Keepe the maintenance company.
So many things feel different now because of coronavirus, with extra precautions such as masks, gloves, and social distancing. Even the ways of searching for a new apartment, signing a rental agreement, and moving during coronavirus have changed.
If you are a property manager dealing with tenants moving in or out of your rental property during the coronavirus pandemic, below are ways to safely manage such type of situation.
No. 1 – Create a moving timeline
While moving is considered an essential service in most states, there is still the need to adhere to social distancing and protect your existing tenants.
As a property manager in charge of a rental property, you should create a moving timeline or designate certain days of the week that renters are allowed to move in. This creates room for you and your team to sanitize the building or apartment before they arrive or before the next moving day.
No. 2 – Introduce the use of lockboxes for renters moving
Lockboxes are fairly common in the AirBnB industry, and property managers and landlords are beginning to adopt the system for managing renters moving in and out during the pandemic.
You should set up lockboxes so that your renters moving do not have to meet anyone in person during covid-19.
Using a lockbox system allows your move-out tenants to drop their keys without you physically receiving them. When they drop their keys in the box, you can have a cleaning company properly sanitize them before your move-in tenants arrive to pick them up.
Not only does this protect you from the virus, it also makes it easy for your tenants to drop or pick up keys without you needing to be there.
No. 3 – Organize virtual tours
Normally, the method was to meet with potential renters face-to-face and hold open houses for them to see the property. The continual spread of the coronavirus has increased the use of virtual tools in the U.S. real-estate industry.
As a property manager, you should adopt the use of virtual tools like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime to show your properties to interested renters and contractors. Adopting a virtual tour allows you and your renters to adhere to social-distancing rules and protect everyone involved.
If there is an urgent need for physical viewing, you should reduce the number of people that can visit the showing during covid-19. More importantly, you should also consider the use of electronic signing of the lease agreement and online rental application.
No. 4 – Additional cleaning and sanitizing
Tenants moving in or out involves a lot of physical contact, which could easily increase the spread of the coronavirus.
Introducing additional cleaning and sanitizing processes will protect you, your team, existing tenants, contractors, and potential renters.
Start by making provisions for disposable hand gloves, face masks, hand sanitizers, and handwashing equipment in your rental property. You can employ the use of a professional cleaning company to handle daily cleaning or sanitizing before and after move-in or -out.
Final thoughts
Property managers and landlords have adapted their standard moving procedures to help tenants move into their new homes in the safest way possible during covid-19. By providing renters with digital ways to view a property and sign a lease agreement, managers and landlords can continue to offer valuable services during a very confusing time.
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About Keepe:
Keepe is an on-demand maintenance solution for property managers and independent landlords. The company makes a network of hundreds of independent contractors and handymen available for maintenance projects at rental properties. Keepe is available in the Greater Seattle area, Greater Phoenix area, San Francisco Bay area, Portland, San Diego and is coming soon to an area near you. Learn more about Keepe at https://www.keepe.com
