We know that a well-maintained home results in getting properties rented out quicker, reduces tenant turnover, and increases tenant satisfaction.
So with that in mind, here is how we address maintenance issues for tenants that live in the homes that we manage at Focus Real Estate Property Management.
A well-maintained home starts with our “make ready” process. When we take over a property we complete a thorough review of the property to make sure things are safe, functioning, clean and ready for tenant move in. We help owners find the problem areas and get them addressed before we market the home. That way the tenants move into a well-cared for home, rather than one that needs a ton of repairs. (and it lowers the need for continual maintenance visits in the future which is nice for everyone involved!)
Once the tenant moves in, we help them submit a maintenance ticket two weeks after they’ve lived in the home to address any issues they’ve found so far. That gets them familiar with the system and allows us to take care of any issues that we missed in our make ready process.
How do we handle maintenance issues throughout the tenant’s stay in the home?
Let’s explain that step by step process here with a few examples so tenants know what to do when issues arise.
Non-Emergency Maintenance Issue: The Jammed Garbage Disposal
Let’s say a tenant discovers there is a non-emergency maintenance issue, such as a jammed garbage disposal.
Their first step is to look under the kitchen sink cabinet where they will find QR codes which take them to helpful videos that demonstrate how to address common, minor issues.
If they can’t solve the issue easily using the video they accessed via the QC code, they enter the maintenance request with supporting information (pictures, descriptions, etc) on their secure online portal that we already provided to them at move in time. For easy access there is always a QR code to this portal in the cabinet under their kitchen sink. It is imperative that tenants log their maintenance requests in this system. When issues are logged appropriately, we can stay organized, resolve their issues quickly and not allow things to fall through the cracks.
Once that maintenance request is submitted, we’ll receive a copy of it immediately. We’ll review it and respond within 48 hours (oftentimes the same day) to troubleshoot the issue over the phone. If we can’t resolve the issue over the phone with you, we’ll line up a vetted third party contractor to come to the home to make the repair and we’ll let you know when you can expect that to happen.
Throughout the maintenance process we’ll communicate with you often so you know what to expect.
Non Life- Threatening Emergency Maintenance Issue: The water leak under the bathroom sink
For our second example, let’s cover a non life-threatening maintenance emergency. These types of emergencies are things like active water leaks or a furnace that stops working on a freezing night.
In this case, let’s assume a water leak is discovered below the bathroom sink and it’s an active leak, meaning it’s continually leaking and will cause damage.
For these types of emergencies call us right away! What number do you call? You guessed it, look under the kitchen sink and you’ll find a “Who to Call?” sticker that will show you exactly who to call in a non life-threatening emergency. (seeing the trend yet….when you have a maintenance issue start by looking in the cabinet under the kitchen sink!)
When you call the emergency number it will ring to our Property Maintenance and Marketing Coordinator (“PMMC”) and then if she doesn’t answer it will ring to both of the company owners, Joe and Biff. We will guide you through what to do over the phone and dispatch someone asap to get out and address the ongoing issue.
It is imperative that tenants call us right away for these types of emergencies because they could create an unsafe environment for you as the tenant and they could lead to large damage to the property. Please do NOT enter these via the portal and instead call us right away.
Life Threatening Emergency Maintenance Issues: The kitchen fire!
When you have a life- threatening emergency, such as a kitchen fire while you’re cooking, call 911 right away. Do NOT call us in this scenario as we are not best suited to help you in these life-threatening situations. Once your life-threatening issue is mitigated and it’s safe, you can call us at the Non Life-Threatening Emergency number to make us aware of the issue. We’ll then work with you to make a plan for repairing the damage and returning the home to safe habitability.
Hopefully that helps explain how we handle maintenance requests for our tenants. We understand maintenance is one of the top areas for complaints from tenants and honestly this is one of the biggest headaches that property management companies face. We are committed to being responsive with our tenants, communicating throughout the process and getting issues fixed as fast as possible.
To learn more about us or potentially hire us to manage your rental property please call/text me at my phone #.
Joe Phillips
Managing Broker
Focus Real Estate Property Management
(720) 299-1730
