Who Should Do Rental Property Maintenance & Repairs? | Nashville Property Management Advice

Lee Blackburn

When a repair is needed on your own property, it’s easy enough to do it yourself or call a couple of handy friends to help. 

That may work for the home that you occupy, but when you’re making repairs and doing maintenance work at your rental property, it’s better to call a professional. 

Licensed and insured vendors will do good work, take care of problems quickly, and protect you from liability and risk.

Making Your Own Repairs

Maybe you know your way around drywall, and you enjoy home improvement projects so it makes sense to simply take care of repairs yourself. 

While your abilities may match the maintenance that’s needed, does your schedule?

Tenants will expect a sense of urgency when something isn’t working at their home. If something breaks on a Monday night and you plan to repair it yourself but you won’t be able to make it out to the property until the following weekend, your tenants are going to be frustrated. 

This is also a problem with having family members or friends taking care of maintenance work at your rental property. You’re at the mercy of their schedules, and unless they’re professional repair people, you may find yourself dealing with bigger problems because of something they did or didn’t do. 

Do-it-yourself projects can be fun and rewarding. We recommend doing them at your own home and not at your investment property. 

When Tenants Offer to Make Repairs

You might have some tenants who are eager to make their own repairs. If a water heater begins leaking, your tenant might offer to replace that water heater themselves and then simply deduct the cost from next month’s rent. 

That’s not a good idea. You want to protect the condition of your investment, and having a tenant take repairs like this into their own hands can put your property at risk. You might have damage or something might get installed incorrectly. Or, the tenant could get hurt during the course of the repair, leaving you at risk for any medical expenses or lost wages. 

This sets a bad precedent with your tenants. Rent must always be paid in full in accordance with your lease agreements, and anything beyond minor maintenance should not be assigned to tenants. 

Licensed and Insured Vendors

The best way to ensure your property is being well-maintained is by using licensed and insured vendors and contractors. Put together a list of preferred plumbers, electricians, roofers, cleaners, landscapers, handymen, and other professionals who can take care of minor repairs and major projects. You’ll know that they stand by their work and you won’t have to worry about potential lawsuits if they fall off a ladder. 

Access to outstanding maintenance professionals is one excellent reason to work with a professional Nashville property management company. We have dedicated repair people who prioritize our properties and offer us their best rates. It leads to a safer and more cost-effective maintenance process for you. It also keeps our tenants happy, which means better retention.

We’d be happy to tell you more about this or anything pertaining to Nashville property management. Please contact us at Omni Property Management.