Richmond Landlord & Rental Property Blog

What Should I Do If I Smell Gas in My Richmond Rental?

If you smell natural gas or reasonably suspect a gas leak in your Richmond rental, leave the area immediately. Once you are outside and away from the suspected leak, call 911.Do not stay inside to find the source, check an appliance, open windows, relight anything or operate elec...

Should Richmond Landlords Use Self-Guided Rental Tours?

For many vacant Richmond rentals, self-guided tours are a strong option when the showing system verifies the prospect, limits access to a defined window, and follows up after the visit. The main benefit is faster, more flexible access, not a guarantee that the home will lease fas...

Fall in RVA Without a Ticket: Free Things to Do in Richmond This Fall

Fall in RVA does not have to mean buying a festival ticket every time you want to get out of the house. Some of Richmond's best fall outings have no required admission at all, and they work just as well on an ordinary Saturday as they do when you have visitors in town.This gu...

A Richmond Renter's Guide to Living Well in RVA

Richmond is a city you live in, not just one you pay rent in. The James River cuts through the middle of it, neighborhoods and nearby communities can produce completely different daily routines, and there is enough going on around the metro that your rental can become a home base...

How Do I Prevent Frozen Pipes in a Richmond Rental?

A frozen pipe can start as a small change at one faucet and become a water-damage problem after the line thaws. In a Richmond rental, the safest approach is to know which plumbing is more exposed, take the simple prevention steps that apply to your home, and report warning signs ...

Smoke Alarm Problems in a Richmond Rental

A smoke alarm can make several different sounds, and the first step is knowing which one you are hearing. A periodic maintenance chirp is not the same as a smoke alarm signal. Many common U.S. alarms use repeating groups of three loud beeps for smoke or fire, while an occasional ...

What Counts as a Rental Emergency, and What Should You Do?

At PMI James River, a rental emergency is a situation where serious harm is actively at stake and the problem cannot safely wait until normal working hours. That generally means an immediate threat to life or safety, a home that cannot be secured, or major property damage that is...

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Problems in a Richmond Rental

A carbon monoxide alarm can make more than one kind of sound. A low-battery or end-of-life chirp is not the same as a carbon monoxide emergency alarm. The important job is to learn the difference while the alarm is operating normally, before you ever have to make that decision un...

Who Will Actually Manage Your Rental Property?

A rental owner may imagine that one property manager handles everything from the lease to a leaking faucet to the monthly statement. Some companies do operate close to that model. Others divide leasing, maintenance, accounting, renewals, resident communication, and owner support ...

What Do Property Management Fees Cover in Richmond?

Property management costs are easier to understand when an owner separates them into three buckets: recurring management work, event-driven management work, and property expenses. The first two compensate the management company for work it performs. The third pays for the rental ...