Did you know that more than five million British households are renters? That means that there is a lot of demand for proper maintenance. The best property managers or letting agents provide maintenance that keeps the quality of life up for millions of citizens.
Of course, there is a lot to learn about rental property maintenance. Not all property managers do an equally good job. But, as with other aspects of the industry, the better you do with maintenance, the more opportunity you will have for growth and the more your business will function smoothly.
So how can you make sure that you are providing maintenance as well as possible? Read on to learn all about the most important things you should keep in mind for rental property maintenance!
Make Sure Everybody Knows What Is Expected Of Them In Property Maintenance
One of the most important property maintenance tips to keep in mind is making everything as predictable as possible. Everybody involved in maintenance should know exactly what is expected of them. Every time you leave a task up for people to negotiate between themselves, you add unnecessary work and potential for drama.
This applies not only to everyone in your company but also to your tenants. Make sure to include in your contract which aspects of maintenance will be the responsibility of tenants. For example, tenants should probably be responsible for basic things like replacing light bulbs.
Decide What Your Minimum Condition Will Be
It is important to get clear in advance about what kinds of maintenance problems are unacceptable. If you let people decide on the spot when something is a problem, there will always be a tendency for them to want to put it off for tomorrow. Let this play out long enough, and you’ll end up with properties in disrepair.
Instead, define precisely what kinds of disrepair need to trigger an immediate fixing. As long as everybody knows what kind of scratches, holes, or electrical problems merit immediate fixing, there will not be any need to figure things out on the spot.
It can also help you to define things clearly for your tenants. For example, they should know what kind of damage will trigger the use of their security deposit. That way, they may decide to fix some problems for themselves, saving you time and money when it comes to these types of disputes.
Focus On Prevention Rather Than Cure
In health, it is more important to prevent problems than it is to fix them. The same goes for the health of properties. A little extra maintenance done today can save you from a lot of extra fixing required tomorrow.
Every time something breaks, take note of it and add it to a list. Next, fill out that list with everything else that needs recurring maintenance. Then set up a timeline to decide when you will maintain those things.
You might have a list of things that need to be maintained every week, things that require monthly maintenance, and things that would be done every year.
Get Everything As Organised As Possible
The same strategy applies to your organisation. Everything should be standardised. It is worth taking the time to figure out how tasks should be done.
Your standardised practices should include careful documentation of everything, such as your go-to contractors, making it easy to get your problems resolved quickly.
Use the Best Tools Available
As in most fields, using the right tools can make all the difference for property management. For example, tools like Clipfix can help you manage your plumbing and heating problems as quickly as possible and for a small fee of just £20.
Clipfix is a new app that helps property managers to find the best plumbers and other professionals in the area. That means that it not only helps people to fix problems faster, it also helps them to find the highest quality service at an affordable price.
Enjoy All Of The Benefits Of Quality Rental Property Maintenance
We hope that you can take away something from this brief article in a few of the most important things that you should keep in mind when it comes to rental property maintenance. Although it can take a certain amount of organisation, proper maintenance is an investment. Every hour you spend on maintenance might save you ten hours of repairs and thousands of pounds worth of damages in the long run.
In other words, it is more than worth taking a little extra time and effort today so as to save yourself a lot of time tomorrow. But, of course, proper maintenance is also the right strategy for saving your bottom line from the scourge of expensive repair jobs.
To learn more about how Clipfix can help with your rental property maintenance, please feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here anytime!
