How We Choose the Best Tradespeople for Property Maintenance
A property without maintenance issues, makes for happy tenants and increasing rents. A good property manager not only understands this, but also has access to good tradespeople when they need them.
Anyone who has experienced DIY maintenance, knows how frustrating it can be when tradespeople don’t show up or overcharge for minor repairs. That’s one of the benefits to having a good local manager to manage the whole process from beginning to end. Here is our process:
- Receive a maintenance request from the tenant or identify an issue upon routine inspection.
- Check our database and send out quote requests to reputable tradespeople who are suitable for the job.
- Once quotes have been received, notify our owner of the issue, the cost and the turnaround time.
- Once a budget has been allocated, negotiate suitable times with tenants and tradespeople.
- Meet the tradesperson at the property to present the maintenance issue and monitor works according to budget, workmanship and quoted turnaround.
- Make payment to the tradesperson and send tax invoice to owner.
Our process is rather straight forward, however there are several areas we focus on, to save time and money.
Firstly, we only choose reputable tradesman we have worked with, who are reliable and turn up when they are required to. Sometimes there are unforeseen delays, but managers have to communicate with tenants and owners and reschedule as needed.
Secondly, we require at least three quotes to determine what the standard market costs are for the repair job. We don’t want our owners to be overcharged, but we do want the best quality workmanship.
Lastly, we always meet the tradesman at the property, especially if long-term tenants will not be home. We like to keep an eye on things to ensure the issues are fully resolved, without need for follow-up repairs.
So, how do we choose the right person for the job?
Most maintenance and repair issues are minor can be resolved quickly with the skills and expertise of a general handyman. Most agencies have several people on their contact list, who can be relied upon for minor jobs.
If however, the issue is major and requires a specialist, we will send out quotes to the relevant tradesperson. These jobs include things like plumbing issues, electrical faults, roof leaks or faulty appliances.
We also have specialised workers on our books for bond cleaning, pest treatment and carpet cleaning, should our owners or tenants require them.
Maintenance is an essential task of every property manager and we take this role very seriously. At Airtrip, our focus is on maximising rental income whilst maintaining good relationships between owners and tenants.
Contact us today for a confidential chat, we have many other ways to make sure your property investment is well looked after.