Whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, everyone should have one main goal in mind and that’s maintaining apartment complex safety. It takes everyone working together and staying vigilant to keep the property free from crime that could impact tenancy rates and tenant well-being.
For the Landlords
Screen Your Tenants
It goes without saying that it’s a landlord’s obligation to keep their property compliant with safety guidelines and building codes. It’s also important to know who is living in your complex for your safety and the safety of your tenants. In general, it’s a good idea to screen potential tenants before signing a lease — it’s a smart way to start a relationship and alerts landlords to any history of eviction, criminal conviction, or other issues that might impact your property’s safety.
Upgrade Security Measures
While security and safety aren’t synonymous, they are interconnected. Gates at the front entrance and security cameras help keep tenants accountable for guests. Outdoor lights deter would-be thieves looking for valuables in shadowy corners of the parking lot. Installing high-quality, durable doors and windows provides an additional layer of security to individual units. You could also benefit from including alarm systems as an amenity.
Stick to Regular Maintenance
Your apartment complex needs to be inspected regularly for issues that could become serious health and safety hazards. Maintenance tasks can be a great preventative measure to identify these issues early on and pinpoint what needs to be repaired or replaced. You also need your maintenance team to be able to react in emergencies and provide them with the resources to do so successfully. This extends to having a schedule for in-unit maintenance of smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.
For the Tenants
Educate Yourself
Just as it’s a landlord’s obligation to create a safe living environment, it’s a tenant’s obligation to understand their legal rights. Do a little digging and you’ll be able to clearly understand what is and isn’t included in those rights. Also, make sure that you have a good grasp of the lease terms before you sign it, and don’t be afraid to ask if you should have any questions about the terms and conditions. A good landlord will have a property manager in place to happily answer those questions with full transparency.
Don’t Skip Inspection
Start keeping your eyes peeled the minute you step onto the property you’re interested in. Inspect for any safety measures in place, any potential hazards on the complex property, and the structural integrity of residential buildings, garages, or carports on the grounds. Thoroughly check out the interior of the unit as you tour it (we have a great guide for that) and document an inventory of any issues that the property manager or landlord needs to know about.
Submit Maintenance Requests ASAP
Qualified, experienced property managers know that time is of the essence for many reasons when dealing with maintenance requests. Please do them the favor by asking for maintenance or repair services as soon as something breaks. Don’t attempt any repairs on your own; leave it to your apartment’s maintenance team to take care of. You also shouldn’t wait too long, even if you think it’s a minor issue that doesn’t need immediate attention. Those issues can quickly become major issues that impact your safety.
Whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, the key to apartment complex safety and security is working with a skilled and experienced property management team. They are the first point of contact for tenants who need issues resolved, and the problem-solvers for overloaded landlords that can’t be on-site 24/7.
Ready to have peace of mind that your apartment complex is safe and secure? Once we acquire a property, it is completely managed by our team and we make significant capital investments in it to enhance the quality of life of our tenants as well as the local community as a whole.
We do not outsource our management, but instead, choose to fill these positions with highly vetted individuals with prior experience in property management we know we can trust. Furthermore, we continuously train and develop our staff to ensure that they remain at the forefront of the industry. Let’s talk!