The Washington Residental Landlord-Tenant Act defines landlord obligations, including property upkeep and repairs.
Most maintenance and repair issues are the responsibility of the landlord. Landlords have no more than ten days to fix minor repairs and 24-72 hours for major repairs.
To stay compliant, it's important to coordinate property maintenance for an efficient process. A property management company can help. Keep reading to learn the best strategies.
Implement a Tenant Portal
The easiest way to coordinate property maintenance is through a tenant portal. This acts as a one-stop shop for maintenance and can be used anywhere with a WiFi connection.
When tenants experience a maintenance or repair problem, they can make maintenance requests through the portal. This is one of the main tenant responsibilities throughout the process.
A property manager will receive the notification and schedule the repair with a licensed vendor.
Owners can use the tenant portal to keep up with the maintenance process. If repairs are major, a property manager should consult you first before scheduling the repair.
Confirm a Maintenance Appointment
After touching base with the vendor and scheduling an appointment time and date, check in with the tenant. It will improve tenant relations to keep them in the loop.
Confirming the repair takes minimal time. A quick phone call, text, or message within the portal will suffice. You'll make tenants feel validated and taken care of with this simple gesture.
Follow up With the Repair
Property managers tend to rely on invoices to verify when maintenance is complete. Suggest that your property managers follow up with the work order by reaching out to the vendor after the maintenance appointment.
Verbal confirmation or written confirmation is more acceptable. Waiting for an invoice can take weeks.
After confirming the completion with the contractor, check if the tenant is satisfied with the work. They may have complaints, and catching these early on is better.
An unhappy resident may resort to leaving a negative review on the property website. Avoid this by following up with the repair and seeing if anything can be done to fix a complaint.
Schedule Property Inspections
Outsourced property maintenance services, like property managers, can schedule regular inspections.
This can help them find and fix maintenance issues that arise early on. You'll save money with preventative maintenance measures.
Simple preventative tasks can be handled during these inspections. Inspecting HVAC systems and replacing filters is one thing. Checking carbon monoxide and smoke detectors is another.
Make sure you notify tenants of the maintenance schedule before coming into their units. Many states require at least a 24-hour notice before landlords or property managers can enter the unit.
Let Us Coordinate Property Maintenance
Bellevue, WA landlords can increase the value of their property and attract quality tenants with regular property maintenance.
The best way to coordinate maintenance is with Brink Property Management, Inc. We have 27 years of Bellevue market experience to take on your property needs. From maintenance to tenant relations, we've got you covered.
Contact us today for a dedicated partner.
