As the rental property owner, it may make sense for you to collaborate with a property management company. Apart from getting the appropriate tenants and ensuring the rent is collected on time, a property manager can also look after your property's maintenance. This can save you money and several headaches in the future.
Moreover, you can also save yourself from severe legal matters by letting your property manager deal with tenants on your behalf. That said, emergency repairs and several other kinds of maintenance-related concerns are a major cause of worry for tenants.
Knowing how property managers handle maintenance and emergency repairs can help you decide whether you need the help of a property manager or not. Here are some of the crucial repairs a property manager can handle for you.
Waste Management
This is possibly an essential repair a property manager can handle on your behalf. You can talk about this with your future tenants, too. While you can't essentially make your tenants keep the home spotless, you can put certain restrictions on waste management. This will make it necessary for them to dispose of any trash that could cause pest infestation.
AC, Heating, and Plumbing
Any system fixed in the house is the property manager's responsibility. When it breaks down, they need to fix it, and they need to check up on it regularly when it's working fine. That said, it is still the tenant's responsibility to use the system property and report any issues to prevent a more costly repair for the landlord.
Suppose the property manager is called to fix an issue that later turns out to be an issue that was caused by negligence. In that case, the landlord can deduct an amount from the security deposit since the tenant was responsible.
The landlord can also include it in their agreement that the tenant's responsibility is to keep the pipes and the air filters clear.
Smoke Detectors and Alarms
The property manager must maintain all safety features of the house and then replace them if there's a need. That said, it still is the tenant's responsibility to replace the batteries in these devices to ensure these systems work properly.
Managing Toxins
Federal law dictates that a property manager must let the tenant know of any asbestos, lead paint dust, or mold inside the rental property. It is also the property manager's responsibility to handle these toxins and ensure that they don't cause a health concern for the people living inside the property.
The lease agreement also plays a major role here since it can ensure that the tenants use the ventilation systems inside the property the right way. The lease agreement can also ensure that if there's mold found during their stay in the property, they'll be required to clean it.
Pest Control
Even though it is the tenant's responsibility to keep the house clean, the property manager's responsibility is to keep the pest situation under control. If the tenant doesn't keep the house clean, the landlord may also deduct the amount paid to the exterminator from the security deposit. That said, there must also be a clause in the lease which allows this to happen.
Landscaping
This is one area of the agreement that depends entirely on the lease. Landscaping is a property manager's responsibility to violate the association's rules or the laws. That said, if landscaping was a part of the lease agreement, the rental manager could also pass on the fine to the tenant.
Wrapping Up
For the most part, if a tenant has damaged the property, it's their responsibility to clean it up. However, as a general rule, it can be a good idea to include the specificities in the lease to avoid all kinds of confusion in the future. That said, regardless of what the property manager can be held responsible for, there are several ways you can benefit from a property manager's services.