CARING FOR YOUR APARTMENT COMPLEX CARPETS

6/18/2019 (Permalink)

Maintaining clean carpets can be one of the most difficult parts of rental living, and as an apartment complex owner, you are well aware of this. The carpets in your complex will be closely examined when your units are inspected by prospective tenants, and any signs of wear or damage will often be a deal-breaker.

There are some inexpensive steps that can help to protect carpets, and you can share these tips with your current tenants, which will help them live more comfortably while they rent from you.

• Documentation.  Before any tenant moves in, make sure all existing stains, damage and wear is documented by examining the entire unit. Don’t forget closets and other storage areas, and make sure notation is made and photos are taken. If the prior tenant had children or pets (or both), use a blacklight for those hard-to-see stains. This inspection will be proof of the original state of the carpeting, so be detailed and thorough.
• High Traffic Area Protection. General day-to-day living will cause carpet wear, and that’s just reality. Encourage your tenants to protect high-traffic areas in their unit by letting them know that removing shoes before entry is one of the best ways to control carpet breakdown. You may even decide to install shoe organizers in each unit to make it easier for your tenants, allowing them to keep entrance ways organized and clean and encouraging everyone to stop tracking dirt down the hallways. Inexpensive mat runners can be laid down in these areas for added protection and a decorative factor, too.  

• Accidents. Direct your tenants to do what they can to protect the carpet before a potential problem arises to avoid accidental damage, such as during painting or other decorative projects, or perhaps for parties and in areas that children use regularly. Throwing down a tarp or area rugs can go a long way towards protecting apartment complex carpeting. Even if your tenants are tidy, accidents happen.  

• Regular Maintenance. One of the best ways to keep carpets in good shape is to practice regular maintenance. Give your tenants a list of the best cleaning practices and agents for them to use, and update them regularly with tips for carpet care, as well as for other items in their unit. Most apartment complexes have a community website these days, so a weekly blog or newsletter can help keep people on top of the latest cleaning tips.

• Professional Cleaning. As a good business move, as well as a service to your tenants, regular professional cleaning of your apartment complex carpets will help to keep all your flooring in great condition and extend the life of each unit’s carpet. It may seem like a big expense, but if done regularly it can help save you the much bigger expense of replacing carpet sooner than might otherwise be necessary.

• Pets. If your apartment complex allows pets, make sure that pets are fully house-trained.

You might want to institute fines if stains or considerable wear-and-tear are evident in your apartment complex units due to tenant negligence. It might sound harsh, but replacing carpets often is expensive and will lead to higher rental fees in the future.

Here at SERVPRO of Belle Meade / West Nashville, we can help if your flooring sustains damage from water or fire. We are also mold remediation experts. Call us today!