If you are blessed with a Gainesville rental property, sooner or later, your tenant will call you with an immediate appeal for maintenance or repairs. It’s pertinent to apprehend the best ways to respond to different tenant requests. If you are handy, there are some things you could likely deal with yourself. On the other hand, there are times when attempting to fix something yourself could make matters worse. To find out when to call in a maintenance tech, here are several questions you can use to assess the situation your tenant has.
How urgent is the problem?
If your tenant has contacted you over a repair or maintenance issue, you should first look into how urgent the problem is. While it is true that your tenant may be disconcerted and annoyed about a poorly operating dishwasher or dripping faucet, these are maintenance items that do not actually 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 deal with the issue at hand. Some common examples constitute significant water leaks and damage or a non-functioning furnace or air conditioner. In these types of conditions, it is generally better to let the professionals take over.
Do you know how to do it yourself?
If you have experience performing maintenance and repair tasks, you may be the best person to respond and take care of a tenant’s request. Even more so, if the task is a considerably quick and easy one or something you already know how to do. Still, attempting to fix something in an emergency without the proper tools or know-how could only spell an in-coming disaster. That’s why, if you are either not really sure how to sort out the issue or don’t have time to do it immediately, it’s likely 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 crucial 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 even more important things, whether managing your investments or spending quality time with loved ones. If you think about how much your time costs, it may be more economical to hire a service tech instead.
Do the repairs require a licensed professional?
Several maintenance and repair items are rather very easy, do-it-yourself tasks, similar to replacing filters or cleaning the refrigerator coils. Others, though, obviously may definitely need the services of a licensed professional. Such given tasks are either too dangerous or difficult for untrained Gainesville property managers to do themselves. Electrical problems, major plumbing problems, and struggles with an HVAC unit should all be entrusted to a professional service technician.
Is regular maintenance being scheduled?
To keep your rental property in good condition, you have to ensure that regular maintenance is fulfilled. If your tenant seems unable or unwilling to help you with some routine maintenance tasks, you will either need to do it yourself or hire someone to do it on your behalf. At any rate, proactive maintenance is one of the optimum solutions to effectively prevent those late-night emergency calls and be able to watch your property’s condition closely. By maintaining and replacing things before they break or wear out, you can reduce your maintenance and repair costs and keep your tenants satisfied, as well.
If property maintenance and repairs are not your favorite part of owning a rental home, we can certainly help! At Real Property Management Diversified, we put into use a proactive approach to property maintenance. Aside from that, we have access to a network of quality service providers who can keep your property in sound condition for less than you’d potentially pay on your own. Contact us online to learn more!
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