Owning a rental property comes with a lot of responsibilities; paramount among them is maintenance. By failing to do property upkeep, it can be challenging to attract tenants, and you can even get in legal trouble if you fail to meet habitability standards.
As important as it is for you to coordinate maintenance, it’s just as crucial to also track the current progress of all ongoing maintenance. Here’s what every landlord has to pay attention to when it comes to keeping your property in good condition.
1. Maintenance Requests
Your tenants’ maintenance needs often begin with a request, so be sure to always check your tenant portal or whichever platform you’re using to receive maintenance requests. You can keep records of all tenant-reported issues to identify potential patterns and anticipate potential maintenance issues in the future.
Important details to include are:
- Date the request was submitted
- Name of the tenant
- Description of the issue
- Location within the property
- Property level (emergency or routine)
- Date the request was resolved.
Tracking maintenance requests will help you evaluate your response times and learn how you can streamline the process for next time. These records can also protect you from potential disputes that may arise.
2. Repair Costs
Maintenance expenses can add up if they are not monitored, and given how these expenses typically take up 30% to 40% of your operating expenses, it’s advisable to keep track of every penny you spend. It also makes tax preparation easier and provides valuable insight when evaluating your rental business’s profitability. Take note of expenses, such as:
- Labor charges
- Replacement parts
- Service call fees
- Materials
- Equipment rentals
- Emergency repair costs
Many landlords review their expenses and find ways to save money, such as finding vendor alternatives or canvassing required items to find the most cost-effective options.
3. Vendor Performance
Monitoring service quality is required to ensure that you have a reliable network of vendors. Reliable contractors play a vital role in keeping your property in good condition, and when their workmanship doesn’t meet your expectations, you can begin considering different vendors to hire.
To evaluate their dependability, you can look into:
- Response time
- Quality of work
- Pricing
- Communication
- Professionalism
- Reliability
It’s not just about their quality of work. Delays can cause problems in your rental business and result in tenant dissatisfaction. You shouldn’t have to ensure the lack of professionalism or communication just because the repair or maintenance quality is good.
4. Preventative Maintenance Schedule
Waiting for appliances or structures to break down is often a more expensive maintenance strategy, and you can be putting your tenants in harm’s way. Preventative maintenance helps extend the lifespan of your appliances and major systems, reducing potential downtimes.
Track and schedule routine maintenance for:
- Plumbing systems
- HVAC systems
- Electrical systems
- Gutter cleaning
- Pest control treatments
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detector testing
Create a checklist so you won’t overlook any important tasks, and set reminders for recurring inspections. With just a little more time and effort into being proactive, you can effectively reduce the rate of major repairs in your investment property and preserve its value.
5. Property Inspection Reports
Aside from regular maintenance, it’s your job to also conduct routine inspections to find issues during their early stages and resolve them before they get worse. These checkups can provide you with the information you need to assess your property’s condition.
Check structures and systems like:
- Roofing
- Walls
- Windows and doors
- Ceilings and floors
- Light fixtures
- Safety equipment
- Appliances
- Major systems (Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing)
- Security features
Comparing inspection reports over time helps identify gradual deterioration, showing you which issues need to be prioritized before they become emergencies. Inspection reports also provide you with documentation to determine whether certain damages stem from normal wear and tear.
6. Recurring Maintenance Issues
Even with consistent maintenance and repairs, some issues tend to reappear. Tracking recurrences can help you identify underlying causes instead of spending money on treating the symptoms. For instance, light bulbs continuing to burn out prematurely may be caused by faulty fixtures.
Instead of multiple temporary fixes, investing in a permanent solution often saves money over time and reduces the need to address issues that can take you away from your other responsibilities.
7. Tenant Maintenance Responsibilities
You are not the only one responsible for keeping the rental property in good condition. Depending on the terms of your lease, your residents also have their fair share of tasks to fulfill, and you need to monitor whether they are holding up their end.
If not, it is your job to enforce the lease and document the situation. Some of the most common tenant-caused problems landlords usually face include damage beyond wear and tear, neglected yard maintenance, improper appliance use, and unauthorized alterations.
Before Your Tasks Start to Pile Up
There are many maintenance issues and responsibilities you have to handle on a daily basis, and it’s easy to fall behind when they start to pile up. You shouldn’t have to wait for that to happen before exploring more efficient solutions.
With Investment Safe Property Management, you won’t have to worry about neglecting any maintenance responsibilities a landlord may have. We keep our eye on the ball and make sure that the services hired provide quality workmanship.
Give your investment property the care it deserves. Contact us and learn about the benefits of our services!
More Resources:
Best Practices For Small Landlords in San Diego
7 Strategies to Reduce Maintenance Costs Without Compromising Quality