Xenia's property management quick tip - The Graffiti effect

Councils have noticed that the best way to handle graffiti vandalism is to not tolerate it. If you take action quickly and remove graffiti as soon as it's done, it sends a message to the perpetrators that we are not going to tolerate this, do it all you want but we are just going to remove it and paint over it every time.

If even a small tag is left on a property, it sends a message that it is OK to disrespect this property so at the end of 12 months, that property is completely vandalised.

Same with the management of your properties. Any small damage or marks on walls or stains on ovens etc should be removed and the property restored back to it's former condition at the end of every lease. In our agency it is not OK for tenants to just wipe over things and call it clean.

Burn stains on ovens and stove tops, water stains on shower screens, marks on walls and switches, window sills and windows - the small detailed stuff have to be restored to their original condition and the property presented in as perfect a way as possible to the next tenant.

If a few marks are left on the wall and it is recorded in an ingoing inspection report as "slightly marked" or "skirting boards dusty" or "a few water stains on shower" - it is like leaving that small tag on a building and invites people to disrespect that home - this is done on an unconscious level.

By the end of the lease, there will be more marks and more stains and because they were there to begin with, it is difficult to hold tenants accountable to it.

To keep properties looking at their best, we hold tenants responsible for getting the entire house and carpets professionally cleaned after they vacate - we ask for receipts of professional carpet cleaning and house cleaning.

Also they should be using cleaning companies who specialise in vacate cleans for rental properties as they have a check list of what agents look for - not every cleaner knows what they are doing. Some of them offer a bond guarantee to the tenant and that means that property managers can then get the cleaning company back to re-clean any missed areas to the standard that we are looking for so that properties can stay looking better for longer.

 

Great Post! all good in theory...
Continually dealing with council incompetence to organise the correct dept to come out asap to deal with graffiti is frustrating (like trolley collections) with a pedestrian access way down the side of my place unfortunately my fence gets tagged nearly every day (as well as punched, kicked etc), cleaners now come at least twice a week without me calling.

Council won't come to the party to go halves in a brick fence though, its considered the same as a front fence, my problem.
This is what I came home to once after 2 weeks FiFo, this was the 3rd time, not as bad as the first, the trimdek a bit further down was what I patched with the previous time where super6 was. I now have bracing running along behind the fence, they try, leave lots of dents, but it hasn't come down in a while.

I've been on the other side when they've tried, no point chasing them down the street (which I've done) as it only encourages them, they know it pis's me etc, just gotta put up with it.
Hope to get it all bessa bricked one day, parapet wall for a garage and GF.

 

Sounds like the 'broken window' theory.

Broken windows theory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

But you know the graffiti effect and councils is just a metaphor for keeping properties in a good condition.

 

Xenia - do you expect a house that has been rented for 5 years with 3/4 lots of tenants to remain in the same condition as when first tenanted? Floors/carpets are trod on, stoves used, walls and skirting begin to look shabby, bathrooms/showers maybe need attention.

Do you try to educate the owners that their properties should be maintained regularly i.e. painted, new carpets/flooring, kitchen fittings and appliances also wear out and need replacing every few years.

Landlords also need to be educated that they must expect to spend money on their IP to attract a higher quality of tenant and keep them.

 

Yes! In Sydney you can see so many rental properties in terrible conditions and landlords don't care specially because they that by reducing the rent they will get someone in... It should be minimum standards to allow you to put a property for rent.

 

No off course not - but there is a difference between wear and tear and tenants leaving it dirty.

 

I agree I like properties to Be kept renovated to but I have no control over the ones that I don't own.

I can only suggest and with all the properties the suggestions are made every three months in a routine inspection.

We also get quotes for owners offer to project manage and arrange payment plans

As a property manager that is all I can do.

 

Also applies for poor diy work. It may save a buck but it can be seen as "the LL doesn't care why should I", or they'll let things go unreported or won't bother fixing minor things themselves.

 

So what happens if they dont get it professionally cleaned and just cleaned it themselves but the job was still up to scratch?

 

Sorry, your post did not make it clear that this applied to your own personal IP's, not your agency's rentals.

 

both.

 

then all good

In most cases however, professional cleaners and carpet cleaners do a better job.

 

I find this to be true too, landlords that let things go are setting an example for the tenant to also let it go, that's what this is all about.

 

Great post.
Unfortunately, PM fees in Perth are much higher than other States ie Melb, Syd
I have property inspections every 4 months, that cuts down 1 pa, I know its peanuts but over all my properties does cut costs significantly.

MTR

 

Have you considered a car battery, some wire and a coil?

 

Yea and glass glued to the top of the fence etc, in the end its illegal, if some meth head boggan gets hurt as a result I'm liable, if insurance finds out I rigged up stuff like that they'll say, sorry sir no cover.

 

Could always look at getting a street artist to paint the fence, if they have cred, it won't get tagged again. Quite a few councils on Melbourne use this strategy to great affect. Most street artists will do for cost of paint, it's what they love doing.

 

You obviously need to replace it with a brick fence .

Until then you could get a large dog, which will bark and hopefully scare them off, they probaly wont kick the fence in with a dog there.

But your answer as you know is to build the brick fence.
Not a place i would like to live though.

 

Nah not where I seen myself being but as a single divorcee I own it, don't have to share with others etc.
All part of a plan, in between train, shops, footy oval etc, hopefully be zoned multi-storey apartments soon.
I'm a half glass full kinda guy, seen as bad around the cross, surry hills, darlinghurst etc, could be worse, like redfern.

I'd love to get a dog, even just as a mate, but I don't believe it's fair leaving them locked up in the backyard all day alone while at work. Sure I could get two, but that's two lots of everything that goes in and out of them etc.

I'd also be concerned a bait would be thrown over the fence, get let out with it either getting run over or biting a kid etc etc.