Advice to Landlords In Zimbabwe

In most cases, property is your biggest investment and it is important to ensure that if you rent it out, it will be taken care of. So often, tenants devalue your property by their mistreatment, neglect and abuse of your most prized possession. If you are a non-resident landlord, it is essential to employ a reputable estate agent to manage your property and protect your investment.

Most estate agents do inspections at the start and end of a lease. But, a good agent will do random inspections, in order to check that the property is being maintained: the pool should be full and blue, the garden should be cared for and the house should not be overcrowded or unclean. It also helps to identify potential problems early on, if inspections are done regularly.

A good agent will also ensure that all utility bills are paid up to date. At the moment, in Zimbabwe, so many homeowners are in arrears with their utility bills that City of Harare is now taking legal action and trying to attach the properties which are in arrears. Can you imagine your shock and horror, if your property is taken from you because of unpaid bills that you thought your tenants were paying??? It doesn't bear thinking of!

Choosing the right tenant from the onset is ESSENTIAL, as the Rent Board in Zimbabwe favours the tenants and it is very difficult to have them evicted even for the non-payment of rent and utility bills. The Rent Board will also decide what is a fair rent, if the rental is ever disputed. These rent dispute cases can take years to come to court and in the meantime, you, the landlord will be earning a pittance on your rental. The right Estate Agent will vett all potential tenants and do credit checks on the prospective tenants so that you have as informed a decision as you can possibly make about the people who will be living in and caring for your valuable asset.

At the moment, without first seeking approval from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, all rental revenues are legally permitted to be remitted to anywhere in the world that the landlord resides. So, investing in Zimbabwean property for lease is an excellent way to secure your money and earn a passive income from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a great tenant and a fantastic agent! There are no restrictions on foreign investors buying property in Zimbabwe. The property market has continued to appreciate on a consistent basis since 2000. So, if you have money to invest, property in Zimbabwe is a very good option. You will get a fantastic return on your money, and when you eventually sell, you will be able to remit your money back to the country of origin, provided you have followed the correct process to bring the money into the country initially.

For advise and help with residential and commercial leasing, contact Page Properties. www.pageproperties.co.zw