How To Keep Your Personal Belongings Safe While Renting Out Your Home
For many, renting out their home in Singapore may seem like a great option to make some extra money. But before you do this, it's important to follow these tips on how to keep your personal belongings safe while renters are coming and going from your house.
Store Your Valuable Items in a Safe Place
This could include jewelry, cash, or important documents. Try to keep these items in a locked cabinet or safe box that is inaccessible to renters. You can also keep these items at a bank or safe Balestier storage as these types of storage options typically provide a high level of security for your belongings.
Also, it is not recommended to keep valuables such as your wallet, purse, car keys, and cell phone in the safe box with your valuable items. These items should be accessible in case of an emergency exit from the house. You can also use a spare key or hide-a-key for emergencies and accessibility if you want to rent out the full property and not just one room.
Label Your Personal Belongings
If you are renting out a room in your house, it is important to label all of your belongings with your name. This will help renters identify which items belong to you and which ones do not. It is also helpful to take photos of your belongings and keep them in a safe place, such as on your computer or in a safety deposit box. This will provide proof of ownership if any disputes should arise.
But if you rent your entire home, you may not be able to do this. In this case, it is important to be very clear with renters about what is and is not allowed in your home. You can create a list of house rules that outlines items such as no smoking, no pets, and curfew times.
Be Present When Renters Are There
Even if you have labeled your belongings and created a list of house rules, it is still important to be present when renters are in your home. This will help ensure that they are following your rules and that they are not taking or damaging your belongings. It will also allow you to get to know them and build a relationship of trust.
So, visiting them on a weekly or monthly basis is the best way to stay in regular contact with renters.
It's also a good idea to take photos of what your home looks like when it's empty and when it's full of occupants. That way, if something does go missing after renters move out, you have proof that they had access to those items during their stay at your place. In most cases, tenants always return everything they borrow from the owner, but this can't hurt as a precautionary measure.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open With Renters
While it may seem easier to let written rules take care of everything, renter's can get frustrated when they are not allowed to do certain things in the home. This could lead them to break the rules and interfere with your valuables. So, try talking with them about their concerns so you can both discuss house rules in a hassle-free way.
For example, if they want access to more than one room at a time because roommates don't always coordinate schedules or arrive at home on time, consider allowing this as long as they keep certain key items in their own bedroom lockers.
Of course, this depends on your renting situation.
If there is something important for all renters to be aware of, such as a no-smoking policy, post it in a common area where everyone can see it. This will help ensure that all renters are following the rules and avoiding any conflict.
Get Renter's Insurance
Renter's insurance can be very helpful in protecting your personal belongings while someone else is living in your house. This type of insurance can help reimburse you for any damages that occur to your property, as well as any stolen items. Make sure to review your policy closely to ensure that your items are covered.
This is the best way to protect your belongings while renting out your home because you will have definite proof that the renter was not involved in any damage or theft. This way, you can file an insurance claim and receive reimbursement for whatever items are missing or damaged.
Not having renter's insurance would leave you on your own if something were to happen to your belongings, which is why it is important to be proactive about this coverage.
Knowing these tips on how to keep your personal belongings safe while renting out your home will help ensure that renters are following your rules and avoiding anything bad from happening. By being present when renters are in your home, communicating with them, and having renter's insurance, you can relax and enjoy knowing your belongings are safe!