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The frequency of rental property maintenance requests in a business may depend on the property. Regardless, it's important to know how to coordinate them to ensure that issues are resolved on time. Read ahead, and you can discover maintenance coordination tips to help you efficiently manage your maintenance requests.
1. Knowing Your Priorities
Maintenance coordination isn't a first-come-first-serve system. Otherwise, handling maintenance issues would be easier. You have to prioritize maintenance requests that pose threats to your tenants' safety, such as faulty electrical wiring, burst pipes, and other emergency repairs.
Maintenance tasks like replacing light bulbs or mowing lawns can wait, especially since ignoring urgent repairs can escalate to costly repairs.
2. Creating a Maintenance Schedule
After addressing the repairs that require immediate attention, property owners need to adhere to a schedule for both requested and routine maintenance. What other landlords and property managers fail to do is schedule repairs or maintenance based on the service provider needed.
Aside from regular inspections, if more than one rental unit has the same problem, scheduling them on the same day helps prevent the need to contact the same vendor within the same week.
3. Utilizing Software Features
There are property management software options that allow users to schedule property maintenance based on urgency and need automatically. There are even additional features like maintenance history, so you can track expenses, and property maintenance reminders for effective maintenance coordination.
This can be extremely helpful for independent landlords, given that rental property maintenance on top of other property management tasks can become easily overwhelming.
4. Using an Online Portal
Just like other digital tools, an online portal lets your tenants submit maintenance requests conveniently. The portal would even show the status of the request, whether it's pending, in the works, or done. The portal facilitates communication with your tenants for follow-ups and addressing concerns.
By creating a clear communication channel for your tenants, you can identify maintenance issues promptly and enhance tenant satisfaction. You can create a tenant portal yourself, or hire a property management company with an in-house portal.
5. Establishing a Network of Reliable Contractors
Maintenance coordination will be rendered useless when the job is not done well. Creating a network of service professionals will help you address significant problems effectively and swiftly. Some vendors even offer discounts when you use their services for regular maintenance.
With proper maintenance from reliable professionals, you can focus on other important tasks concerning your rental property.
6. Being Financially Prepared
It takes a lot out of your budget to keep the property well-maintained, and that's not including the accidental damages incurred by both you or your tenants. To be prepared for any maintenance needs, it's recommended for you to set aside 5-10% of your gross rental income. Remember to attach receipts for tax benefits.
7. Being Proactive
One way to get ahead is to conduct preventive maintenance. When you identify issues early, you can address them before they become more significant and urgent problems. You can add a maintenance clause to the lease agreement stating that you will conduct regular inspections to inform the tenant.
Just be sure to give notice prior to doing repairs or maintenance. Failing to inform the necessary parties can lead to legal action, as it may constitute an invasion of privacy.
Leave It to Area Texas Realty & Management
We understand that managing a rental property is a full-time job, and keeping tenants happy is crucial to a successful business. You don't have to stress about it at all. We already employ the tips mentioned above and more, ensuring that tenants are safe and satisfied with our maintenance and repairs.
Leave the regular tasks to us so you can focus on other lucrative ventures. Contact us today, and we can get started on making your rental business thrive!
