Things to Know Before Renting To Senior Tenants

Needs of elderly tenants are generally varied & a little more complex. Property owners must consider a few factors when renting out to older adults.
Here are a few suggestions for rental property owners renting out to senior tenants:
- Get Important Contacts: Make sure to have contact information of tenant’s relatives or friends who live nearby, personal doctor, and people they trust. In cases of emergency, you can contact them.
- High Standards of Safety: Rental properties for elderly must comply with safety standards. Make sure to conduct a detailed inspection of the rental property to detect potential dangers like cracked window glasses or loose handrails, broken staircase or fittings, hanging fixtures, sharp edges, and slippery surfaces. In addition, pay attention to features such as locks, smoke detectors, accessible kitchen cabinets, and proper ventilation and lighting throughout the house.
- Amenities: Senior tenants might need special facilities to carry out their daily activities comfortably. For example, they might need a ramp instead of stairs to enter or exit the rental property. Understand their needs and offer relevant amenities. It will also add more value to your property.
- Federal Law: Federal Law & Anti-Discrimination Law clearly warns against discriminating against potential tenants or existing tenants based on age, religion, ethnicity, race, disability, etc. Welcome elderly tenants regardless of age or physical abilities.
- Gather Information: Perform a complete background check and gather relevant information. For example, the potential tenant’s source of income, rental history, credit report, contact of a former landlord, reasons to leave the current rental, number of occupants (including pets), reference, rental insurance (if available), move-in date, their preferences & other requirements.
- Immediate Response: When renting out to seniors, make it a point to attend to their maintenance or repair requests on a priority basis. It is common for elderly tenants to panic at minute damage. Understand their concern as it might be causing them discomfort.
- Seek Help from Experts: Hire a professional property management company. A good property manager would have experience in renting to seniors and will be able to provide a seamless experience to elderly tenants.
Hunter Rentals & Sales is a renowned company specializing in property management services for rentals. Our property management services include finding ideal tenants, setting optimal rent, conducting a comprehensive tenant screening process, preparing the rental for new tenants, property marketing, leasing, property maintenance and rent collection.
To avail of property management services, you can visit 1503 W Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen, TX – 76549 or call (254) 634-3311. Hunter Rental & Sales provides property management services near Ft. Hood, including Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, and Belton. Browse through www.hunterentals.com
