The pandemic was tough for everyone, including landlords. According to JP Morgan Chase, around 7% of landlords missed mortgage payments. Although most kept on top of their borrowing, some let maintenance slide to balance their books during that tricky period.
In Houston, there are laws that set out what maintenance landlords must undertake. They're required to repair any problem that "materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant". We know you take this seriously, but how can you quickly resolve maintenance issues when they arise?
Let's take a look at a few simple things landlords can do to stop maintenance issues from becoming a drag for you and for your tenants.
Help Your Tenants Understand Their Responsibilities
One of the major benefits of having a contract with your tenants is that it sets out who is responsible for what when it comes to maintenance.
Tenants are usually responsible for keeping the rental property clean at all times. If they've got a slow shower drain, it's not the landlord's responsibility to clear out the hair and goop that's caught in the drain. They may also need to perform minor maintenance such as pouring hot water down sinks regularly to keep the moving.
Tenants may forget, so it's handy to create a shared storage area in the cloud where they can access their rental agreement at all times. If they try to report issues that are actually their responsibility you can give them a kind reminder about that.
Report Maintenance Issues
Tenants also need to understand their responsibility to report maintenance requests promptly. The sooner they report property issues, the more likely you are to stop them from developing into big problems.
Streamline Communication
Make communication with your tenant easier by setting up a dedicated email address or WhatsApp group. This may be more effective than a phone call because your tenant can easily send you pictures of the problem.
It's also a good idea to have either a home warranty or a local contractor who is on call to handle maintenance issues. Otherwise, whenever anything goes wrong, you'll have to start frantically making calls to sort the issue out.
Have a Maintenance Emergency Protocol
When your tenant is facing a maintenance emergency, they're going to need to call you about the problem. This would include anything that is doing damage to the property, such as a water leak or something wrong with the electrical system.
Make sure that your tenants have a number they can reach you on 24/7 to report emergencies.
Let Property Management Handle Maintenance Issues
Rental property maintenance requires a lot of work. If you're balancing it with a full-time job and family responsibilities, it can be hard to stay on top of it.
Working with a property management company could make your life a whole lot easier. They have tenant portals that have all the information tenants need. They are at the end of the phone 24/7 when things go wrong.
Plus, they have a maintenance crew they can call on at all hours of the day.
Choose Home River for Property Management
At Home River Group Houston, we provide a comprehensive property management service. Our maintenance crews can promptly handle all maintenance issues from the minor to the major.
Learn more about property management and why it's a service you can't afford not to have.
