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Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities in Ashburn – Who is Responsible for What? Property Management Advice

Oct 26, 2016
Who is responsible for what when it comes to Ashburn rental property? As a landlord in the Northern Virginia area, it’s important to know what you are accountable for and what the tenant is accountable for throughout the duration of the lease.

Landlord Responsibilities

The landlord is responsible for the actual structure of the Ashburn property, its interior, and the systems attached to the house such as the HVAC systems, appliances, pipes, etc. The only exception to this is if the tenant damages any of these items with neglect or misuse. For example, prior to winter in northern Virginia, the exterior hose bibs need to be winterized from inside the property to avoid frozen pipes bursting inside the walls of the house and causing flooding. If the tenant was informed of this in writing and did not winterize them, you can hold your tenant liable for any damage to the property.

Tenant Responsibilities

For the exterior, the tenant is responsible for maintaining the yard. This includes mowing the lawn, and trimming or pruning any bushes and shrubs. For the interior, the tenant is responsible for all of their personal belongings and for returning the property in the same condition that it was given to them, with normal wear and tear. As a landlord renting Ashburn property, you can specify certain conditions when you’re creating the lease. For example, you can require that the walls need to be touched up and holes need to be patched. If rooms were painted, you can require that they are returned to their original color. Professional cleaning of the house and carpets can also be required, and you can ask for receipts. Ashburn tenants are typically responsible for paying all the utilities, and you should ask for proof of renter’s insurance before your tenants move in.
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At JT Management Group. we focus on protecting our Ashburn property owners. We place a big emphasis on liability protection, risk management, and preventative maintenance. If you have any questions about our Ashburn property management services, please contact us at JT Management Group.
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