Investor · Germantown, MD · Member since 2016 · 47 posts · 24 votes
Wondering if this is legal. I've had tenants in the past that would call with problems constantly, often for minor issues that could have been easily resolved by the tenant. Would it not make sense to allow the first two service calls to be free with a $50 deductible for subsequent calls/year?
What you need to do is better screen tenant problems and train tenants to resolve the problems themselves. If they can't be trained do not renew their lease.
It is not a landlords responsibility to respond to frivolous problems. It is your responsibility to "manage" tenants.
Train yourself to respond to all calls with "I'll look it" then ignore the ones that are a waste of your time.
Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
part of your responsibility is at move in to show them how things work,, how to turn on the heat, how the smoke detector works, how to provided a toilet plunger with the apartment so if they have a minor toilet clog they can fit it themselves,, and show how to use it, where the electrical panel is an how to reset a breaker,.... the stuff ordinary people would understand but renters aren't always ordinary people.
Get a system for contact for repair requests,, have them text or leave on voice mail ,, don't go and answer each call right off the bat,, give a thought... call back and try and trouble shoot with them over the phone... as for toilet and drain clogs I'd let them know if plumber comes out for service if it is found that clog is from food, toys in toilet,, or grease they will be charged a service call. some use a form for this at move in.
Basically you own a rental your tenants expect service for maintenance, you should have a regular maintenance schedule set and should be glad to some extent the tenants are asking for help rather than waiting because it was just a drip and then the whole ceiling falls down.
It can be a game with some but others could truly be just plain stupid.. so train them at the beginning.