How to Manage Renters Moving During COVID -19

So many things feel different now because of coronavirus. Extra precautions mean masks and gloves and paying close attention to social distancing. Even searching for a new apartment, signing a rental agreement, and moving during coronavirus have changed.

If you are a property manager dealing with tenants moving in or out of your rental property during the coronavirus pandemic, below are ways to safely manage such type of situation.

Create a Moving Timeline

While moving is considered an essential service in most states, there is still the need to adhere to social distancing and protect your existing tenants. As a property manager in charge of a rental property, you should create a moving timeline or days of the week renters are allowed to move in. This creates room for you and your team to sanitize the building or apartment before they arrive or before the next moving day.

Introduce the use of Lock Boxes

Pretty common in the Airbnb industry, but property managers and landlords are beginning to adopt the lockbox system in managing renters moving in and out during the pandemic. You should set up lockboxes so that your renters do not have to meet anyone in person.

Using a lockbox system allows your move-out tenants’ drop their keys without you physically receiving it. When they drop their keys in the box, you can have a cleaning company properly sanitize it before the move-in tenants arrive to pick it up. Not only does it protect you from the virus, but it also makes it easy for your tenants to drop or pick keys without you needing to be there.

Organize Virtual Tours

Normally, the method was to meet with potential renters face to face and holding open houses for them to see the property.  The continual spread of the coronavirus pandemic has increased the use of virtual tools in the US real estate industry.

As a property manager, you should adopt the use of virtual tools like Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime to show your property to intending renters and contractors. Adopting a virtual tour allows you and your renters adhere to social distancing rules and protect your potential renters.

If there is an urgent need for physical viewing, you should reduce the number of people that can visit the showing. More importantly, you should also consider the use of electronic signing of lease agreement and online rental application.

Additional Cleaning and Sanitizing

Tenants moving in or out involves a lot of physical contacts which will most likely increase the spread of the coronavirus. Introducing additional cleaning and sanitizing process will protect you, your team, existing tenants, contractors, and potential renters.

Start by making provision for disposable hand gloves, face mask, hand sanitizers, and handwashing equipment in your rental property. You can employ the use of a professional cleaning company to handle daily cleaning or sanitizing before and after move in or out.

Final Thoughts

Property managers and landlords have adapted their standard moving procedures to help tenants move into their new homes in the safest way possible. By providing renters with digital ways to view a property and sign a lease agreement, they can continue to offer valuable services during a very confusing time