Maintaining your home is an important part of renting out a property. You have to keep the place in good, habitable condition, where everything works and is safe. Responding to your tenant’s maintenance requests as quickly as possible is necessary, which means you need access to a great team of vendors. There are a few tips and tricks that will help you manage maintenance like a professional.
Put a Process in Place
Your tenants need to know your expectations when a maintenance request is necessary. Sometimes, tenants hesitate to report when something is wrong. You don’t want them to hesitate. In the interest of protecting the condition of your property and avoiding deferred maintenance, you want those maintenance requests to be made. When you’re discussing the lease with your tenants, make sure they know how they should request repairs. You may want something in writing; in which case an email is best. Or, perhaps you’d prefer a phone call. Just make sure they know what to do. They’ll need contact information for you or your property manager, and a way to get in touch with someone if an emergency occurs.
Gather a Vendor List
Developing and maintaining good relationships with vendors is very important. You might need your plumber in the middle of the night or a roofer after a series of bad storms. It’s important that these vendors know who you are, know your property, and demonstrate a willingness to be responsive. Work with vendors and contractors who are licensed and insured. Otherwise, you open yourself up to a lot of risk if someone gets hurt or the work isn’t completed properly.
Document Everything
Make sure you document when a maintenance request was received, what you did about it, and how you followed up. If your tenants allege that you’re not maintaining the home, you’ll need to prove otherwise. Keep detailed records, take pictures, and make sure you and your tenants are communicating about what needs to be done and when the work will be complete.
At Decas Group, we don’t think you should be bothered with every $85 plumbing call. So, we require authorization to make any repairs that are up to $300. Anything that’s more expensive will require your approval. This works for us, and our owners appreciate our professionalism and expertise.
If you have any questions about how to effectively manage maintenance and rental property repairs, contact us at Decas Group.
