There are three concerns that dominate the thoughts of any property manager each time they think about the properties they have under management. As a property manager:
You want to be able to attract the highest-quality tenants to your rental properties and you want them to stay for the long-term.
You want to maximize income from the property while cutting costs as much as you can without affecting quality.
You would like to build a reputation that will help you attract more affluent property investors.
Almost every property manager wants these three things and a lot of what property managers (PM) do is guided by a need to meet those objectives.
As a PM, what can you do to improve tenant retention in your rental? How do you reduce the rate of wear and tear on the home? What small steps can you take to improve your success?
There are many possible answers to these questions, but most will cost money to implement. But there is one small step you can take today that will have an immediate impact on every aspect of your property management business.
You can review the strategy you use for cleaning the rental as a way of improving the quality of tenants in the home, cutting costs, and boosting your reputation. How will changing the cleaning strategy you use in a rental property improve the results you get in that rental?
Impact of cleaning strategy on property management success
When thinking of the best ways to clean a rental home the factors you often consider are:
The desired level of cleanliness
The cost of delivering that level of cleanliness
Typically, you are not only concerned about keeping the home clean, but you also want to do it at the lowest possible cost. To make sure you don’t overspend on cleaning you will probably hire an amateur cleaner or resort to clean the rental home by yourself.
When you do this, you overlook the third factor for choosing the right strategy for cleaning a rental property. You fail to think of the impact of your chosen strategy on the quality of tenants you attract and your personal development as a property manager.
Using amateur cleaners in a rental property or cleaning the home yourself is one of the worst things you can do to your future success as a property manager. This approach delivers short-term gains that deny you the long-term benefits of hiring a professional cleaning company.
How will hiring an amateur cleaner or cleaning your rental property yourself impair your professional growth as a property manager? To answer the question, let’s look at those benefits of hiring a professional cleaning company that is unavailable with an amateur cleaner.
Benefits of hiring a professional cleaning company
1. Consistent and quality service
Two things distinguish professional cleaners from amateurs: standards of cleanliness and use of systems. Everyone has their own ideas of what cleanliness is. The differences between our personal ideas of cleanliness are what cause disputes about whether an item is clean or not.
Professional cleaners have fixed standards of cleanliness which are defined by their industry. They also use systems and guidelines that ensure they deliver that quality of cleaning every time.
2. Attract the best tenants
With increased awareness of indoor air pollution and public concerns about the Coronavirus, renters pay more attention to how the home they are about to rent is cleaned. Knowing that the home is under the care of a professional cleaner is enough to make some people rent your property.
For renters who struggle with allergies or respiratory illnesses, cleanliness is critical. Tenants who require top-quality cleaning are also likely to pay more. Hiring a professional cleaning company will let you charge higher rents.
3. Be more efficient
A professional cleaning company will reduce turnover times in your rentals. When a unit becomes vacant, a professional cleaner can ensure that the home is ready for showing in 24- 48 hours.
Using a professional company means your cleaners can deploy to the home within two hours of it being vacant. Moreover, a professional cleaner will also create conditions in your rental that make tenants want to stay longer in the property.
4. Wear and tear
A professional cleaning company knows the best ways to clean the various materials and surfaces in your rental property. The professional cleaner will use cleaning solutions that protect the items and features of the home.
This helps to reduce wear and tear on the items. Furthermore, the cleaner will get rid of the bacteria and corrosives that make the home’s features deteriorate faster.
6. Focus on what is important
With a professional cleaner, you can focus on what is most important to your property management business. You do not need to check the cleaner’s work to make sure it is well-done.
Instead, you can dedicate your time to improving your network, professional competence, and business systems. With this, you can get superior results that will boost your reputation in the industry.