What to check monthly, each season and once a year, who usually does it, and how to keep the records.
A preventive maintenance schedule for a rental sets a repeating calendar of small checks: filters and alarms monthly or quarterly, gutters and exterior in spring and fall, and a few annual items like the water heater and dryer vent. Frequencies below are commonly recommended; follow manufacturer guidance and local rules for your property.
Most emergencies have a boring precursor: a clogged filter, a slow drain, a caulk line that failed last summer. Catching them early is cheaper than a weekend call. This guide gives you a schedule you can copy into a calendar. It pairs with the complete maintenance workflow for the reactive side.
| Task | How often | Who usually does it |
|---|---|---|
| Replace HVAC filter | Every 1–3 months, depending on filter and pets | Tenant, if the lease says so; otherwise you |
| Test smoke and CO alarms | Monthly; replace batteries per manufacturer | Tenant tests; you replace units at end of life |
| Test GFCI outlets | Monthly (test/reset button) | Tenant or you |
| Check under sinks and around toilets for leaks | Quarterly | Tenant reports; you check at visits |
| Clean dishwasher and disposal, run drains | Quarterly | Tenant |
| Clean gutters and check downspouts | Spring and fall | You or a vendor |
| Flush water heater (tank type) | Annually, per manufacturer | You or a plumber |
| Clean dryer vent | Annually | You or a vendor |
| HVAC service (heating and cooling) | Annually, before each season | Licensed HVAC vendor |
| Inspect roof, caulking, seals | Annually | You or a roofer |
| Check fire extinguisher dates | Annually | You |
Service the air conditioner before the first hot week. Clear gutters and check the roof and flashing after winter. Look for foundation or siding damage, test outdoor faucets after the thaw and check for water stains on ceilings.
Check the exterior: caulking, deck boards, fences, grading so water drains away from the house. Inspect windows and screens. Confirm the sump pump runs, if there is one.
Service the furnace, replace filters and clean gutters again. Review the winterizing checklist: disconnect hoses, insulate exposed pipes and know where the main shutoff is.
Remind tenants to keep heat on and what to do about frozen pipes. Check for ice dams, drafts and heat that is not keeping up. This is the season when emergency calls spike.
A schedule only works if it is visible. Put the recurring items in a calendar with reminders, assign each to a person (you, the tenant, a vendor) and note it in a single log per property. For the vendor part, the guide to building a maintenance vendor network explains how to line up people for annual service before you need them.
Preventive work will not eliminate repairs, but it shifts some from emergency to scheduled, which is easier on your budget and your tenants. It also generates a record that you took reasonable care of the property. If you're setting aside money for this, how much to budget for rental property maintenance covers the common rules of thumb.
To be clear about scope: Guardian Landlord does not schedule or remind you of preventive tasks. It handles the requests that do come in. The AI action plan gives you urgency, suggested self-fixes where safe, recommended vendors from your own list and a pre-drafted tenant message, which you review and approve. The property's request history and expense reporting show what has been fixed and what it cost, which helps you decide what belongs on next year's schedule. If you're away, Away Mode (Starter and above) has Guardian's team coordinate the response.
Small checks like filters and alarms are commonly done monthly or quarterly, exterior and gutter work in spring and fall, and larger items such as HVAC service and water heater flushing once a year. Follow manufacturer guidance for each system.
It depends on the lease. Many leases make the tenant responsible for simple filter changes, while the landlord covers annual HVAC service. Spell it out in the lease and tell the tenant what size filter to buy.
Generally no. Most states and cities require advance notice before entering, other than emergencies, and the amount varies. Check your lease and local law before scheduling an inspection.
Guardian Landlord gives you an AI-drafted action plan for each request, a request history per property and expense reporting. Try it free for 3 months.
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