Life as a landlord includes phone calls from tenants with problems, rent to collect, repairs to make, and money to manage. These tasks take up a lot of time, but other things remain, including maintenance.
When do you have time to handle the maintenance? If you hire a property manager, you won't have to worry about this task. The property management firm handles the maintenance coordination.
Maintenance is a huge part of running a rental property business and is costly. So, who pays the maintenance costs when you hire a property manager?
Continue reading to find the answers.
Landlord's Maintenance Responsibilities
In most states, including California, landlords have a legal duty to keep rental property habitable. This means the properties must meet safety codes, and have running water, functioning appliances, and HVAC systems.
Landlords are responsible for ensuring that every unit is well-maintained to meet these requirements. Landlords are financially responsible for paying the costs of necessary repairs or maintenance to meet these requirements.
Of course, landlords can choose how to handle the maintenance. They can do it themselves or hire it out, but they must maintain the properties. As a landlord, you must learn and follow California landlord-tenant laws.
Tenant's Maintenance Responsibilities
Tenants also have responsibilities when renting units. They must care for the units by keeping them relatively clean and avoiding damage.
Normal wear and tear happens, but extreme damage is not normal, and landlords can hold tenants responsible for this.
If you want to place other responsibilities on your tenants, include them in the lease. For example, you can require tenants to replace their smoke detector batteries and HVAC filters.
You can also require them to notify you of problems within a reasonable time.
Preventative Maintenance
Performing routine rental property maintenance is part of being a landlord, and you should focus on preventative maintenance for several reasons:
- Keeps properties in appropriate conditions for landlord-tenant laws
- Prevents major issues from occurring
- Helps you protect property values
If you hire a property management company, they will follow a property maintenance schedule to keep up with the necessary work.
In most cases, you must pay for the work, but you can refer to your contract to determine how this works. Your contract outlines the agreement relating to the rental property maintenance costs.
Hiring a Property Manager
When hiring a property manager, you will pay property management fees. These fees cover the services the property manager offers. They generally don't cover the costs of materials for repairs and maintenance.
You can hire a property manager after buying your first property, or you can wait until you have multiple properties.
Need Help With Your Maintenance Coordination?
Maintenance coordination ensures proper care for your properties. It keeps them in great condition and prevents small issues from turning big.
You can handle the maintenance yourself, but it can be a big job. The easier option is to hire a property manager to handle it. They'll do it well and will ensure they do everything.
Do you want to hire it out?
HBR Rentals can help. We operate in Tracy, CA, and surrounding areas. We are a premier full-service property management company offering simple yet effective results for rental property owners like you.
Reach out today to learn more.
