If you retain a Monterey Park rental property, sooner or later, your tenant will call you with a plea for maintenance or repairs. It’s very important to realize the best ways to respond to different tenant requests. If you are handy, there are some things you could certainly deal with yourself. On the other hand, there are times when attempting to fix something yourself could make matters worse. To understand clearly when to call in a maintenance tech, here are some questions you can use to assess particular situations.
How urgent is the problem?
If your tenant has contacted you in relation to a repair or maintenance issue, you should first try to figure out how urgent the problem is. While it is a matter of fact that your tenant may be truly disgusted with a very poorly working dishwasher or dripping faucet, these are maintenance items that do not call for an emergency visit. But in fact, if your tenant reports an issue that would make the property uninhabitable, you should take immediate action to handle the nuisance. A lot of examples involve significant water leaks and damage or a non-functioning furnace or air conditioner. In these types of circumstances, it is generally fitting to invite help from professionals.
Do you know how to do it yourself?
If you have experience fulfilling and doing maintenance and repair tasks, you may be the best person to deal with a tenant’s request. This is even more so if the task is a simply quick one or something you already know how to do. But, on the other hand, restoring something to working order in an emergency without the proper tools or know-how could spell oncoming disaster. As a result, if you are either not really sure how to fix the issue or don’t have time to do it at all, it’s really best to send a service technician to take care of it for you.
Is doing it yourself REALLY the best use of your time?
Another relevant question to consider is whether going over to your rental property and completing repair and maintenance tasks is the best use of your time. Every hour you spend on property repairs and maintenance is an hour you are not spending on other more important things, whether managing your investments or spending quality time with loved ones. If you assess how much your time costs, it may be more economical to hire a service tech instead.
Do the repairs require a licensed professional?
A few maintenance and repair items are kind of just hassle-free, do-it-yourself tasks, such as replacing filters or cleaning the refrigerator coils. Others, clearly, may definitely need the services of a licensed professional. Such jobs are either too dangerous or difficult for untrained Monterey Park property managers to do themselves. Electrical problems, major plumbing problems, and snags with an HVAC unit should all be given to a professional service technician to address.
Is regular maintenance being scheduled?
To keep your rental property in good condition, you should be mindful to ensure that regular maintenance is done properly. If your tenant seems unable or unwilling to help you with some routine maintenance tasks, you will either need to actually do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. However, proactive maintenance is one of the efficient ways to keep off those late-night emergency calls and closely monitor your property’s condition. By maintaining and replacing things before they break or wear out, you can reduce your maintenance and repair costs and keep your tenants ecstatic and content.
If property maintenance and repairs are not your favorite part of owning a rental home, we certainly can help! At Real Property Management Fairmate, we administer a proactive approach to property maintenance. On top of that, we have access to a network of quality service providers who can keep your property in very satisfactory condition for less than you’d seemingly pay on your own. Contact us online to learn more!
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