Managing rental units can become a complex task for homeowners, especially when juggling tenant communications, payments, and maintenance requests. But most landlords don't need a property manager when their rental unit is in their backyard... enter A-du Manage: A-du’s suite of property management tools that offer streamlined, automated solutions to simplify crucial processes and ensure smooth operations for both tenants and homeowners.

How to Manage your ADU Rental

First things first: do you, or do you want to, rent out your ADU? How hard could it be, right? According to Freddie Mac, here's a list of considerations necessary for successfully managing your rental:

1. Set a competitive rental rate: Factors such as location, amenities and the length of the lease will all play a part in determining how much you should charge for rent. While you do your own research to understand local demand, rental trends and market rates for similar single-family rental listings, when you list your ADU on A-du we'll first provide you with a rental estimate before you set your rate.
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2. Draft a comprehensive lease agreement: Set clearly defined expectations for yourself and your future tenants, including important ADU rental details such as rent amount, payment due dates, late fees, security deposit amount and occupancy rules. While you can review sample lease agreements online, you can create your own custom lease agreement with A-du by answering questions about your specific property. We'll ask you questions like:
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- Which utilities will tenants be responsible for?
- Where will tenants park?
- Are pets allowed?
- How will maintenance requests be handled?
- Which spaces on the property, if any, will be shared?

3. Screen prospective tenants: Before inviting a tenant to live on your property, you’ll want to conduct a thorough screening process while keeping in mind relevant laws and guidelines to avoid discriminatory practices and ensure a fair and equal housing opportunity. Before your future tenant can apply to live in your ADU, they have to register an account with A-du. During the registration process for A-du tenants, we perform a background check, review their recent pay stubs, check references and analyze their credit reports so when you receive an application you can trust that your future tenant has been vetted by A-du to live on your property.

The Power of Automation in ADU Management

Once your unit is listed on A-du Rent, you automatically have access to the A-du Manage suite of tools to include automation. Automation has proven to be a game-changer in property management, helping reduce administrative burdens and improve efficiency. A-du's portal includes tools for automated booking management, payment collection, and tenant communication—eliminating the need for manual tracking. This ensures that rental income flows smoothly, and tenants are consistently updated about their lease status and maintenance requests, contributing to tenant satisfaction and reduced vacancy rates.

Comprehensive Tools for Property Owners and Tenants Alike

Find anything anything and everything you need to know about your rental in one place.
The A-du Manage portal consolidates vital functions like: 

- Homeowner / Tenant Communication: Integrated communication tools ensure clear, timely updates and keep a record of all interactions between homeowners and tenants.
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- Payment Management: Automate your preferred rent payments, reduce late payments and errors, hold all payment details, and track any and all payments - all in one place.
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- Work Order and Maintenance Tracking: Maintenance requests can be submitted, assigned, and tracked digitally, minimizing delays and keeping your tenants happy. Keep record of what, and when, work has been performed on your unit.
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‍- Important Document Repository: One of the standout features of A-du’s portal is the centralized information depository. Homeowners and tenants can securely store and access critical documents, such as the certificate of occupancy, lease agreements, tenant notices, and payment records. Our portal provides transparency, simplifies compliance, and reduces the likelihood of disputes.

Market Your Unit Your Way

Provide prospective tenants with a brief overview and description of your unit listing to include specific features as well as basic features such as parking options, furnishings, air conditioning, on-site laundry, and whether or not pets are allowed.

A-du ManagePlus: Full Service Management

"What if I just want to see the rent payment hit my bank account?"
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Even with A-du's property management tools, if you still don't want to manage your property at all and you only want to see the rent payment hit your bank account - you can subscribe to
If you still don't want to have to manage your ADU rental yourself, let us help. For 20% of your gross monthly rent, you can subscribe to A-du ManagePlus. The Full Service Management option takes care of nearly all managerial tasks, to include marketing your unit, tenant placement, tenant dispute resolution, rent collection, work-order coordination, and routine maintenance coordination.

Click here to learn more about A-du ManagePlus.