One of the most important services we provide while doing rental management in Albuquerque is maintenance. It’s our job to protect the condition and the value of your investment property by keeping it well-maintained. This requires a responsive maintenance process, which starts with the tenants in your home. They need to know how to request repairs, and we need to be ready to respond to those requests.
If you’re managing your property without the benefit of professional property management services in Albuquerque, you may not be sure about how to set up a system for receiving and responding to maintenance requests.
We have some insider tips that are sure to help.
Albuquerque Tenants are your Maintenance Partners
You need to be clear about expectations and procedures with your tenants before they move in. You need them to help you maintain your home, and they cannot do that unless your communication is open and you remain available and accessible.
The lease agreement should include maintenance processes, but make sure you discuss them in detail. Stress the importance of requesting maintenance help right away. You don’t want any deferred or unreported problems to fester and become larger, more expensive issues.
Establish Different Systems for Emergency and Routine Maintenance
It’s important that your tenants know the difference between an emergency and a routine repair.
Emergencies often involve fires, floods, sewers, or a threat to personal safety. A door that doesn’t lock is an emergency because it leaves the property unsecured. A water heater that is leaking into the kitchen is an emergency, and a sewer line that has exploded and is sending water up through a toilet is also an emergency.
Ask your tenants to report emergencies by phone, immediately.
Routine maintenance needs, however, should be made in writing. You can have them send an email or a text so you’ve documented the problem and the time and date it was reported. Ask tenants to send photos if they can with their written request.
Respond Immediately to Every Repair Need
Even if it’s something as simple as a door that has come off its hinges, you want to get in touch with the tenant immediately after receiving the repair request. This shows them that you’ve heard their need and you’re preparing to fix it. You cannot respond to every issue within 24 hours, but you can at least let your tenants know that help is on the way.
Work with a Reliable Team of Vendors and Contractors
Your maintenance response depends on the vendors and contractors you use.
Put together a preferred list of professionals who can provide immediate attention to any needs your property has, whether it’s an emergency plumbing issue or a problem with your heating. You don’t want to make your tenants wait weeks for a repair to be completed. By establishing relationships with the vendors you may need, you can be sure they’re responsive when you need them.
These are some of the most important parts of our maintenance procedures. If you’d like some help with rental management in Albuquerque, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Bruni Karr Agency.
