For any property owners or managers, maintenance issues are indeed a problem when managing an investment property. And as the number of your properties and tenants are growing, so are the problems.
In the rental property business, it is not uncommon to have a tenant report maintenance items from time to time, this can be anything from plumbing leaks to pest infestation issues.
Good thing, there are things you can do to avoid spending extra money for repairs.
Put a Maintenance Plan into Place
The first thing you should do is to establish a maintenance plan which would indicate how tenants should submit their requests, the response time frame, who will respond and the expected time of execution and finalisation.
Identify the Severity of the Issue
List down all of the common issues according to their urgency level: High, Moderate, Low.
HIGH URGENCY – These kinds of complaints should be addressed within the same day or as soon as possible.
Examples:
- Clogged toilet
- Lack of hot water
- Gas leaks
- Lack of heat (in winter)
- Lights not functioning in the common areas
- Structural issues
- Missing locks
- Doors and windows that would not lock
MODERATE URGENCY – Complaints that can be fixed within 2 days (48 hours).
Examples:
- Air conditioning not working (in summer)
- Interior light is not working
- Appliances that are not functioning
- Clogged shower or sink drain
LOW URGENCY – Complaints that can be fixed within one week.
Examples:
- Running toilet
- Cracked tile
- Cabinet doors off their hinges
- Small leak or dripping tap
- Grout coming up
Determine the Level of Skill Required for the Maintenance Issue
Check to see if a certain issue would require a specialist or if it can be handled by a general handyman. Sometimes, it would be hard to determine so it is best that you contact the professionals for advice.
Inform Your Tenants
Getting in touch with your tenant regularly and updating them with the progress of the repair from time to time would lessen theirfrustration towards the matter. It would also make them feel that the issue is being dealt with promptly. Let them know when an appointment with the repairman has been arranged, inform them of the day the repair is booked in for and follow up the day after the repair was carried out.
