Maintenance

Your Contractor Said It's Fixed. Is It?

A contractor sends a message:

“Done.”

The invoice arrives.

The landlord pays.

Case closed?

Not necessarily.

One of the most common weaknesses in maintenance administration is treating a contractor's attendance as proof that the underlying problem has been resolved.

Those are two different things.

A plumber may have attended a leaking toilet, but does the toilet still overfill?

A waterproofing contractor may have sealed an area, but has the repair been tested by subsequent rainfall?

An electrician may have reset a circuit, but has the original fault returned?

Good maintenance administration requires a final step: confirmation.

Depending on the repair, that could mean:

•   completion photographs;

•   a contractor's written description of the work;

•   tenant confirmation;

•   landlord confirmation;

•   testing;

•   a guarantee or warranty; or

•   a follow-up inspection where appropriate.

This also helps when the same problem is reported again.

Instead of starting from zero, you have a record showing what was previously diagnosed, what work was completed, who completed it and when.

That record can be invaluable when determining whether you're dealing with a new defect, a failed repair or work that may still fall under a contractor's guarantee.

Own the Property. Not the Admin.

If you're a hands-on landlord who wants to remain in control of your property without carrying all the administrative workload yourself, see whether LeasePilot is the right fit for you.