What frustrates do-it-yourself landlords more than anything else? In our experience, it’s the constant struggle to keep up with maintenance. Keeping rental units in good shape is a must for two very important reasons: retaining good tenants and protecting your investment.
When regular upkeep and responding to emergencies become too much, it’s time to turn to professional property management for handling maintenance. But how much maintenance for rental properties is included in a typical contract? Some landlords never want to fix another toilet, while others don’t want to hand over total control.
The best property management companies are flexible enough to provide whatever level of service that suits the owner’s needs.
Full-service property management companies offer administrative services and marketing in addition to maintenance for rental properties. They act as the owner’s representative, taking care of all day-to-day operations.
Some owners might not need this much help. Managing a single rental house, for example, could be easy for the landlord. At most, they may need a handyman to take care of the occasional repair job.
Multiple rental units or buildings in different locations, however, are going to have greater maintenance needs. Owners will need to outsource this work, and the most efficient way to do so is with a professional property management company.
When looking for a property management company, it’s important to understand what maintenance is included in the company’s contract. There may be additional services that the company can perform that fall outside of the usual list. They may charge extra for these jobs. If there are things that will remain the owner’s responsibility, this should be clear from the outset.
The type of maintenance for rental property falls into one of the following categories:
Keeping up with routine maintenance makes the property more attractive to potential tenants. And doing periodic inspections and taking care of things before they become problematic saves money in the long run. Most management companies offer a list of basic things they will do regularly, either according to a set schedule or on an as-needed basis. This often includes tasks like:
The change of seasons usually brings on a variety of maintenance tasks that a property management company can handle. Many of these apply to common areas, but they may involve maintenance inside tenants’ units too. They may happen every season or on some other timeline. For example, repainting occupied apartments every three years or so.
Appliances break, pipes leak, light fixtures stop working, and carpet wears out or buckles. Property management handling maintenance should do periodic inspections of apartments to see what needs to be repaired or replaced. In addition, they will respond to repair requests and emergencies.
Some property management companies have maintenance workers on staff who can handle just about anything that might come up. Others contract the work out to plumbers, electricians, or other vendors. Good management companies have a list of reliable contacts they can call upon when needed.
It is important to agree on how these maintenance jobs will be handled. For example, will the property management company pass on invoices for all materials and labor for the landlord to pay? Or will they charge a flat fee that includes most minor repairs like installing a new light fixture, and only bill extra for bigger jobs like replacing the dishwasher?
In addition to knowing that the building manager will take care of any repairs, landlords need to understand what it may cost them, beyond the contracted fee so they are not blindsided.
There is a certain amount of maintenance that is necessary when a tenant moves out.
Property management companies usually work through a checklist to make sure that everything is clean and prepped for the next renter. This may include disposing of anything the former occupant left behind, deep-cleaning or replacing the carpet, cleaning and sanitizing appliances, and refreshing paint.
This is also an opportunity to inspect the unit and fix anything broken that may not have been reported. Safety features like smoke alarms, locks, and intercoms should also be tested.
Getting a dwelling ready for a new tenant can be time-consuming. For property management companies this is a routine chore that they can accomplish quickly and efficiently.
Occasionally, a property owner will need to make a big capital expenditure, such as getting a new roof, resurfacing the parking lot, or replacing all the windows.
Although the costs of things like this are not going to be included in a property management company’s contract, the company can be instrumental in getting these large projects done.
First, the manager is likely to be the one who notices when these projects are necessary and will alert the landlord. They may then be tasked with getting quotes for the work and overseeing the job’s progress, especially if they are onsite daily.
While a property management company may include all of the maintenance tasks listed here, the only way to know for sure is to look carefully at the contract. It will outline:
Additionally, the contract should detail how much decision-making authority the property manager has. For example, can the management company choose and purchase a new appliance, or must they have the landlord’s approval first?
Select Leasing & Management works to structure service packages that bring the most benefit to the landlord and their tenants.
Not everyone has the time and energy to respond to all the maintenance needs of a rental unit. And for landlords with multiple properties, it’s impossible even if they wanted to.
Luckily, property management companies like Select Leasing & Management can oversee everything from the smallest chore to the largest project. As a result, your tenants will be happy and want to stay, and your investment will retain its maximum value.
Contact us today to discuss how we can take the burden of maintenance and repairs off your hands.
Cover image by AndreyPopov by Canva.com
12851 Manchester Rd., Ste 110
St. Louis, MO, 63131
