Updated over 2 years ago on . Most recent reply
Maintenance Requests Process?
Hello, I am working on a project and I am curious what is common practice to deal with maintenance requests from tenants? Do you have tenants enter the request via software? (If so, which one?) Do you accept calls? Texts? Emails? What is your workflow to handle these requests? Any feedback would be appreciated.
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Richard F.
#1 Tenant Screening Contributor
#1 Tenant Screening Contributor
- Property Manager
- Honolulu, HI
Aloha,
1) Tenant calls office, leaves voicemail if I do not pick up; or Tenant emails (BEST). Never a text, Never call my cell.
2) I check messages and emails throughout regular business hours, first thing in AM, last thing at end of business day, and can access my email on my phone whenever necessary to follow over a weekend.
3) Emergency after hours voice messages that are left automatically "outcall" to my cell, which I immediately review and call the tenant back for further details (unless CLEARLY a crisis) . (ANY calls made from my cell to a tenant, I "block" my number, except in the most dire of circumstance, such as a house fire or other significant event.)
4) In most cases, I do not call Tenant to acknowledge their request, I simply call or email the appropriate contractor
(depending on type of issue and vendor involved. Some vendors only use email, which is preferred, others respond best by phones that are answered by multiple call takers) , providing them with Tenant contact info, address, and info on the issue at hand.
5) Vendor makes contact same day, scheduling the service with tenant.
6) Depending on the issue, vendors may be instructed to call my cell from the site with additional info and/or estimate before proceeding. Regular vendors also call at any time an additional issue is raised by the tenant or discovered during their actual work. On request, vendors will text pics to my cell for review and discussion of a situation, and, sometimes I will simply request before/after pics for our documentation. (for larger or multi-day projects I will visit the site and take my own pics, to inform the Owner of findings)
7) Vendor sends invoice.
8) I review and approve invoice, forwarding to accounting for processing and payment.
For typical service calls, we have some reserves held for each Owner, which allows us to pay vendors timely. If something major comes up after NET rental income has been disbursed, if upcoming rent will not cover, we immediately request funds from Owner. For any large projects, Owners must sign vendor contract and pay full amount into our Client Trust Account. We then make payments to vendor according to contract and progress. On Owner request, we will schedule them to meet for final walk-through prior to last payment. Over the course of a project I will take before, progress, and after pics and send copies to Owner along with any comments.
1) Tenant calls office, leaves voicemail if I do not pick up; or Tenant emails (BEST). Never a text, Never call my cell.
2) I check messages and emails throughout regular business hours, first thing in AM, last thing at end of business day, and can access my email on my phone whenever necessary to follow over a weekend.
3) Emergency after hours voice messages that are left automatically "outcall" to my cell, which I immediately review and call the tenant back for further details (unless CLEARLY a crisis) . (ANY calls made from my cell to a tenant, I "block" my number, except in the most dire of circumstance, such as a house fire or other significant event.)
4) In most cases, I do not call Tenant to acknowledge their request, I simply call or email the appropriate contractor
(depending on type of issue and vendor involved. Some vendors only use email, which is preferred, others respond best by phones that are answered by multiple call takers) , providing them with Tenant contact info, address, and info on the issue at hand.
5) Vendor makes contact same day, scheduling the service with tenant.
6) Depending on the issue, vendors may be instructed to call my cell from the site with additional info and/or estimate before proceeding. Regular vendors also call at any time an additional issue is raised by the tenant or discovered during their actual work. On request, vendors will text pics to my cell for review and discussion of a situation, and, sometimes I will simply request before/after pics for our documentation. (for larger or multi-day projects I will visit the site and take my own pics, to inform the Owner of findings)
7) Vendor sends invoice.
8) I review and approve invoice, forwarding to accounting for processing and payment.
For typical service calls, we have some reserves held for each Owner, which allows us to pay vendors timely. If something major comes up after NET rental income has been disbursed, if upcoming rent will not cover, we immediately request funds from Owner. For any large projects, Owners must sign vendor contract and pay full amount into our Client Trust Account. We then make payments to vendor according to contract and progress. On Owner request, we will schedule them to meet for final walk-through prior to last payment. Over the course of a project I will take before, progress, and after pics and send copies to Owner along with any comments.