Do you keep a 'maintenance' log? And a place for tenants to submit requests online?

Question

1) Do you keep a maintenance log where tenants can submit their requests? If so, what do you use or how do you do it? I was thinking of creating  a 'form' by Google Docs and in the move-in inventory check-list mention that any requests can be submitted at www.linkhere.com.

2) If you send the plumber let's say to do some repairs, do you get the tenant to sign-off on the spot before the plumber leaves that it's been satisfactorily repaired? Or do you have them simply sign-off when they come in to pay the next rent?

3) If you bill the tenant for repairs, do you get them to pay the next time they come in to pay the rent? Or do you discount it from the security deposit at the end of their contract?

I'm trying to find the best way to manage this, as I recently had a tenant that I made repairs for, but then she was trying to claim I didn't do them satisfactorily so she didn't have to pay.

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance.

Marc Freislinger · Answer

We do something similar. Our web program lets us enter work orders, or the tenant via their log-in. Once the work order is done, the completion notes are added, along with time worked and materials used. The total can then be billed to us, the owner, or the tenant at our discretion.

Generally, the tenant doesn't have to sign off. If the repair is done correctly, there can't really be a disagreement on whether or not it was done. Can you be more specific?

When we bill our tenants it is added to their running total, so it must be paid before or with their next payment, along with their water bill. If it's not paid, unless it a large number, we generally won't evict and will just pull it off the security deposit.

Account Closed · Answer

I use work orders and track the notes when a job is completed along with hours and who performed the work in which unit.