If you own property in a hurricane-prone area like New Orleans, hurricane season can be a stressful time of year. The hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. For 2022, NOAA predicts 14 to 21 named storms and between three and six major hurricanes. According to Yale Climate Connections, the 2021 hurricane season resulted in approximately $343 billion in damages. If NOAA predictions are accurate, 2022 looks to have even higher losses, which can be financially catastrophic for property owners.
If you are a property owner, you should anticipate some issues with your property due to these weather events. Working with a property management company like Certain Management can help you physically prepare your property with preventative maintenance, organize your files and records for any claims, and ensure your properties are secure in times of uncertainty.
Preventative Maintenance
Preventative maintenance can help you avoid significant property damage due to a hurricane. Cleaning gutters, trimming trees, checking power lines, and checking roofing tiles can prevent damage. However, if you own several properties, ensuring they are prepared for inclement weather can be challenging.
A company that offers condominium management in New Orleans like Certain Management can provide property maintenance services such as janitorial and scheduled preventative maintenance services to prepare each of your properties before hurricane season. We work closely with a trusted team of vendors to provide you with comprehensive property maintenance and emergency response following a hurricane.
Insurance
The key to repairing any property after a storm is insurance. Any hurricane-prone property needs an insurance policy covering the potential flooding and wind damage associated with these storms.
Certain Management offers financial and administrative services that can help you choose the right insurance policy for your property, properly document the property with pictures at the time of policy issuance, and maintain all necessary information for any claim.
Special Provisions
If you rent your property, it is essential to understand some legal clauses that may come into effect during a hurricane and how they might impact your tenants, property, and ability to collect rent.
Utility service provisions
If the utilities are cut, tenants may have the right to a rent abatement. Generally, this is only in effect if the landlord cuts the utilities and often doesn’t include outages due to storms.
Certain Management property management in New Orleans provides financial services, including rent collection, and can communicate directly with tenants on your behalf regarding queries over rent abatement. We can respond to repair and maintenance requests and keep records of any action taken.
Casualty provisions
Casualty provisions delineate responsibilities between tenant and owner in cases where the property is damaged or destroyed. This depends on the nature of the contract and the extent of the damage; however, it could result in rent abatement or other legal issues, particularly if the property is rendered unlivable.
This can be difficult to navigate. Certain Management can help you be better prepared in case of property damage. We offer a 24-hour emergency support line to assess all damages and maintain a complete file of all records for both insurance and repair purposes.
Certain Management Can Help
Hurricane season is a complicated time for property owners. Preparing and planning for such an unpredictable time of year can be difficult. Luckily, Certain Management can help manage your properties and ensure they are prepared, protected, and properly cared for in the event of a hurricane.
