Staple supplies for landlords to keep on hand

Written by Chris Deziel on July 19, 2018. Posted in edited, For Landlords, landlord, Landlord Tips, Maintenance & Renovations, paid, painting, rental maintenance

If you’re a landlord who wants to run a tight ship, you need certain supplies on hand to deal with common situations.

These supplies include tools and maintenance items, paperwork to make your life easier, spare keys, and a way to remove unauthorized padlocks and chains.

Tools and supplies for basic maintenance

Your toolbox should include the basics:

Hammer
Saw
Tape measure
Screwdriver
Power drill

For small electrical repairs:

Multimeter
Wire splicing tool
Utility knife

For plumbing repairs:

Two pairs of locking pliers (One pair is for holding the pipe while you tighten a leaking fitting with the other.)

Besides tools, you’ll need a few supplies to complete repairs. If you keep an inventory of a few basics, you can complete simple repairs efficiently without repeated trips to the hardware store. The list isn’t long. It includes:

An assortment of screws and other fasteners
Wall anchors
Electrical tape, duct tape, and plumbing tape
Carpenter’s glue and 2-part epoxy

Supplies for painting and cosmetic maintenance

When a tenant moves out, you almost always have to do some painting to make the rental ready for a new tenant. Keep the following in your paint closet:

Touch-up paint
Brushes
Rollers

The painting job inevitably involves a certain amount of wall repair. So it’s a good idea to also keep the following supplies in your paint closet so you can make these repairs quickly and minimize downtime for the rental:

Drywall joint compound
Drywall tape
Spackling compound
Patching compound
A four-inch putty knife and a 6- and 10-inch drywall knife
A paint scraper

Cleaning tools and supplies

Cleaning is an important part of the turnaround process, so your supply closet should include the following:

Mop
Assortment of rags and sponges
Bucket
Vacuum cleaner
Spray bottle that you can fill with vinegar (comes in handy for cleaning hard water streaks from the bathroom walls and shower door)
Squeegee

In addition, it’s a great idea to keep the following supplies in the cleaning closet:

Ammonia
Bleach-based cleanser
Dish soap for delicate cleaning jobs
Enzyme-based drain cleaner for slow drains
Scouring powder
Vinegar and/or hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting
Window cleaning fluid

Paperwork to keep in your file cabinet

Your file cabinet should include the instruction manual for each of your appliances, as well as a copy of the warranty (if it’s still in effect). Besides these, it’s a good idea to keep the following paperwork:

Copies of lead paint and other disclosure forms that you are required to supply to new tenants
Fact sheets about the rental that include safety information and important phone numbers that you can supply to tenants
Ready-to-fill-out leases and/or rental agreements.

Prepare for lockouts

It’s good practice to limit the number of keys you give out, and it’s an even better practice to have at least one spare set for each rental. Keep the keys in a place you can access quickly, and a late night emergency call from a tenant who has misplaced keys will be less of a bother.

Tenants who lose keys sometimes use their own locks to keep doors and other parts of a rental unit secure. It isn’t unheard of for these unauthorized locks to remain when the tenants vacate the premises. Keep a pair of bolt cutters in your toolbox, and you can remove them.

Consolidate all your supplies in one place

Not all landlords do all their own maintenance and repairs, but if you do, consider investing in an inexpensive used vehicle in which to keep supplies (except paperwork). This is a great idea if you have multiple units. You’ll always have the things you need right at hand, and you won’t have the hassle of organizing materials each time a job arises. You’ll save time and money, and every little bit helps to keep your rental operation in the black.

Tags: Maintenance, Property Management