Did you know that more than 156,000 rental units are registered with the city of Seattle? There are many more rental units when factoring in the greater Seattle area and towns like Bellevue.
Maintenance coordination is essential in dealing with so many rental properties. You will need an experienced property manager to make sure your tenants' maintenance needs can be met in a timely manner.
Read on to learn three effective tips for maintenance coordination in Seattle, WA. Explore topics such as Seattle laws regarding building maintenance and finding the right maintenance coordinator.
1. Research Local Laws and Ordinances
Each city has its own set of local laws, ordinances, and regulations. Government representatives set these rules to ensure fairness in the housing market.
For example, a maintenance request must be fulfilled within a reasonable time. In Seattle, a landlord needs to respond to tenants without electricity, water, or heat within 24 hours.
If a major appliance is not working, the landlord has 72 hours to respond. This includes appliances like the refrigerator or oven. The landlord is afforded up to ten days for any other repair request.
When you hire a maintenance coordinator, you need to make sure that they are experts in local rules. Failure to comply may result in fines and penalties that reduce your property's profitability.
2. Hire a Seattle Property Manager
Maintenance tasks tend to pile up. You're legally responsible to act in short order, but this may prove impossible if you're juggling too many jobs. Our second tip is to not bite off more than you can chew with property maintenance.
Property management companies in Seattle can help ease the burden. They have the tools, resources, and experience to efficiently handle multiple maintenance requests.
A property manager will free up your time to focus on other value-added tasks. Instead of repairing the sink or hunting down contractors, you can work on filling property vacancies or acquiring new investment properties to rent out.
3. Build a Network of Maintenance Professionals
Few property managers have the qualifications to fix every issue. In many cases, they need a contractor with specialized talent. Perhaps an HVAC repair technician or electrician is needed.
The best property managers have a robust network of contractors that they work well with. These contractors respond quickly and have a strong reputation for doing quality work.
Cost is another consideration for property managers looking to reduce operating expenses. They may negotiate special rates based on the volume of work given to contractors. Lastly, all contractors within their network are properly licensed and insured.
Your Guide to Maintenance Coordination in Seattle, WA
You are now ready to start coordinating maintenance tasks in the greater Seattle region. Handling every service call can get overwhelming quickly.
Your best bet is to outsource this work to a maintenance coordinator. This individual is professionally trained to quickly respond to maintenance calls.
Brink Property Management has been satisfying maintenance calls for more than 27 years. If you need help with maintenance coordination in Seattle, WA, contact us to speak with an experienced professional.
