There are many steps you can take to protect your Clovis investment properties from vandalism. But even the best prevention is no guarantee. With roughly 15% of homes targeted by vandals each year, it is likely that one or more of your rental homes may eventually be hit.
When vandalism happens, it’s easy to feel a sense of violation and frustration as you deal with the police and your insurance company, while trying to make repairs, and provide reassurance to an equally upset renter. But knowing what to do when vandals strike can help restore your sense of confidence and make navigating the recovery process just a bit easier.
As soon as the vandalism is discovered, it is important to contact the local authorities and file a police report. Your tenants may take it upon themselves to make the call or may notify you and expect you to make the report. Either way, as the Clovis property owner you should communicate with the investigating police officers and make sure that all property damage is documented in an official report.
You’ll want to document the vandalism for yourself and your insurance company, too. Taking photos of the damage is a good way to do this. If you are not able to go to the property yourself right away, you might have your tenant or your property management company handles the documentation.
Unless the vandalism is caused by your renters or one of their guests, you will be responsible to make the necessary repairs. Working closely with your insurance company is an important step in the process; they need to get involved as soon as the damage occurs. Even before vandalism occurs, it is a good idea to make sure that your landlord insurance policy covers this type of damage. If not, you may have to pay for the repairs yourself.
Finally, vandalism can frighten a tenant, leaving behind not only the physical damage but also feelings of fear or anxiety. Their sense of security has been violated, and they may need both reassurance from you that things will be taken care of as well as visible evidence that you or your property management company are working hard to restore both the rental property and their ability to live safely in it.
At Real Property Management Platinum, one of our top priorities is keeping both your tenant and your rental property safe from vandalism and other preventable damage. But if vandals do make a mess, we will handle the entire documentation and recovery process for you and make sure that your property is restored as soon as possible. Would you like to learn more? Please contact us online or call us at 559-324-9400 for details.
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