How to deal with petty tenant requests...

Real Estate Agent · Souderton, PA · Member since 2016 · 591 posts · 414 votes

Do any seasoned landlords out there have any advice on how they’d handle this situation? Truth is, I hear from these tenants about once a month or so, maybe less, for stuff like this. With 1 or 2 properties, stuff like this isn’t really an issue. 2 hours trip to the property round trip included to make this repair is no big deal. But with 25 properties, this could become a full time job.

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Account Closed

Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Originally posted by @William C.:

I'm trying hard not to curse you. I deleted the first response because I'm trying to be a nicer person on the internet. You are being an absentee slumlord.

It's not their fault the chain broke. Accusing them of breaking it is deflecting your responsibility on to them in the lowest way possible. Expecting them to pull the lid and reach their hand into the tank water to flush the toilet every time they use it is vile.

If I was your tenant the word I would use to describe you starts with an A.

You chose to invest and self manage out of market. Now you want to make the tenant bear the responsibility of that choice and worse, are accusing them of being petty.

I might start pouring grease down every drain in the house if you were my landlord and treated me like this.

What you could do instead of accusing, deflecting and insulting, is work with them on the phone and maybe, just maybe, you can work together and have them fix it. Now that you've insulted them, that ship may have sailed.

Or get off your lazy duff and go down there and fix it. Or call a plumber and pay them to do it. You might have been halfway there in the time it took you to write and manage this thread.

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William C.
OP
Real Estate Agent · Souderton, PA · Member since 2016 · 591 posts · 414 votes
6y
1 Reply
Eric X.
Real Estate Agent · Naperville, IL · Member since 2014 · 196 posts · 130 votes
6y
Depends on what the issue is really. If it is petty, just let them know it is their responsibility.
0 Reply
Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
6y
@William C. I have a 12 unit that is an hour away, when needed my handy woman takes care of things like this. She lives nearby and is cost effective.
6 Reply
Wesley W.
Rental Property Investor · The Vampire State · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
I would assess the "urgency category" of each request. Time is a finite resource in this (and most) businesses.

If it's "my chain fell off the toilet handle", I would have them send a pic of the inside of the toilet tank to give you some context as to what exactly the issue is. I would then open the pic in MS Paint and mark up the their image with arrows and numbers and such, and send it back to them with simple instructions on how to reattach it. If they are incapable of what in your opinion is a basic fix, I would "back burner" it and get to it on your next trip over there. It's amazing how proficient at following your helpful directions some tenants can get when they realize that you are not going to rush over there for every minor thing. I've created Word docs that have guides for simple things (such as relighting a pilot) that include images of their specific appliance. I use it as a "level one support" option that, many times, saves me a trip. However, an extinguished pilot has a different level of priority for me than a detached toilet chain.

There's a fine line between neglecting necessary repairs and ignoring a needy/picky tenant, but that's where your professional judgement comes in.

Bottom line...set the level of expectation for your tenants (not the other way around), and apply the Pareto principle and move them on if someone is using up an inordinate amount of your time.
19 Reply
Mary M.
Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
A toilet that leaks is a big deal. The water bill will be massive. I recommend getting a list of local vendors for the units you dont want to go to yourself.
You need to deal with that flush handle asap.
7 Reply
Mary M.
Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
I also want to say you want tenants telling you when things dont work. This is really really important to mitigate large scale issues.....for example I had a tenant not tell me their toilet was not flushing well and now I am facing 30-50k in damages (yes, i have insurance that is covering it)..... the seal on the toilet broke and flooded their apartment. Everything that water touched has to be removed if it can be and replace or cleaned.
You dont want this to happen to you! Encourage your tenants to be aware and to report issues.
12 Reply
William C.
OP
Real Estate Agent · Souderton, PA · Member since 2016 · 591 posts · 414 votes
6y
Update. The handle is confirmed broken. It has now moved into repair category. Who has tenants handling repair requests under a certain amount of money? Like they are college students. They could fix this in an hour. Or pay $100 for someone to do it. Or I can waste 2 hours doing it? It is rusted. Glad they started making them plastic...
1 Reply
Kris L.
San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 930 posts · 836 votes
6y
@William C.
I have heard of leases that put the first $50 or $100 of all repairs on the tenant, but I’m not sure if that just keeps tenants from reporting important issues.
5 Reply
Theresa HarrisPro Member
Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
6y
@William C. Something like this, might be just as easy to pay a handyman/woman to do it. It will save you the driving and the time. My guess is this is normal wear and tear, but if there are items that tenants are breaking, then they need to pay for the repairs. Something that isn't urgent, can wait until your next trip, things that are more urgent...find a good local repair person.
1 Reply
Jim K.
Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @William C.:
Update. The handle is confirmed broken. It has now moved into repair category. Who has tenants handling repair requests under a certain amount of money? Like they are college students. They could fix this in an hour. Or pay $100 for someone to do it. Or I can waste 2 hours doing it? It is rusted. Glad they started making them plastic...

Will, either pay a handyman service or get over there and fix their toilet. When you get big enough you can hire an on-call handyman, keep him constantly working on a renovation when he isn't handling tenant service calls. Otherwise, you're going to lose your shirt renting to college students, especially co-eds.

Sadly, you obviously know very little about toilets and how they work, or you wouldn't be doing the dilettante prance we're seeing here. Those chains are made of brass or stainless, except in the very cheapest replacements you can buy. One of two things happened here: somebody put in a sh**-quality chain, or the water's very hard. If the water's that hard, you're going to be having routine trouble with mineral buildup and corrosion in all your plumbing that you're going to have to be on top of. If someone put in a sh**-quality chain, you're going to have to make sure it doesn't happen again. And no, you don't want a plastic chain on your toilet. You want a good brass or stainless one.

Your property is a working asset. This is a device that is rented as part of that asset. Treat it as such. It's not a mutual fund.

12 Reply
Account Closed
Member since 2019 · 1 post · 0 votes
6y
Hi,
I'm a total newbie here and far from an experienced landlord (as of now!) and joined BP to learn this business from experts on these forums, as well as other places.
I once had a clause in my lease to the effect of "the tenant is responsible for the first $75 ($ amount of your choice) for repairs caused by the tenant is the responsibility of the tenant" anything above that is the responsibility of the landlord.
This will surely cut down on the amount of pesky calls you will receive. I know I thought twice before calling him and found a way to fix things myself.
0 Reply
Greg M.
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
Based on the picture, I'd just have a handyman replace all the inner working of the toilet (assuming they are the same age). Might want to have him do all the toilets at the same time. I've replaced all the toilets in units and it seems like when one of these fails, another one will fail within a few months.
4 Reply
Account Closed
Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @William C.:

I'm trying hard not to curse you. I deleted the first response because I'm trying to be a nicer person on the internet. You are being an absentee slumlord.
It's not their fault the chain broke. Accusing them of breaking it is deflecting your responsibility on to them in the lowest way possible. Expecting them to pull the lid and reach their hand into the tank water to flush the toilet every time they use it is vile.
If I was your tenant the word I would use to describe you starts with an A.
You chose to invest and self manage out of market. Now you want to make the tenant bear the responsibility of that choice and worse, are accusing them of being petty.
I might start pouring grease down every drain in the house if you were my landlord and treated me like this.
What you could do instead of accusing, deflecting and insulting, is work with them on the phone and maybe, just maybe, you can work together and have them fix it. Now that you've insulted them, that ship may have sailed.
Or get off your lazy duff and go down there and fix it. Or call a plumber and pay them to do it. You might have been halfway there in the time it took you to write and manage this thread.
22 Reply
Charlotte Dunford
Investor · Johns Creek, GA · Member since 2017 · 463 posts · 488 votes
6y
If the issues are petty, give them advice and tell them to fix it. Here's a conversation I had with my tenant once.

Tenant: Is there not a cable outlet in the master bedroom?

Me: No. There are 2 in other rooms.

Tenant: So what am I supposed to do about this room?

Me: If you want a cable outlet. Your internet provider can put it in.

Tenant: Ok.

Read your state's landlord tenant law and see what repairs the landlord is responsible for.
0 Reply
Isaac S.
Member since 2018 · 563 posts · 562 votes
6y
it's called the terrible "T's" for a reason....
guess what "t" your dealing with now?
This is not a petty request. It's an essential and integral system that is the landlord responsibility and part of your asset.
If you stayed at hotel, would you accept your demeanor and attitude from the hotel manager or front desk staff? Just because you are the owner, doesn't make you better or above providing customer service.
You either fix it yourself or higher a handyman or plumber. I don't like trying to get tenants to fix this type of stuff, as their is a chance they can just do more damage.
The best ways to mitigate the cost is to either live close enough to DIY without much disruption in your schedule, or develop a good relationship with a handyman and/or plumber in the area. Have them do several things at the same time, as someone else said, have him replace that part on all toilets in that house. Also, be sure to ask the tenant if their are any other issues they know of, and also tell the handyman to keep an eye out for other issues and report them to you.
If you plan on being in real estate, a good handyman is an absolute necessary member of your dream team. Even if you are handy, the goal is to have enough inventory that you probably can't do it all yourself, all the time. OR better yet, have enough inventory that it justifies and supports a full time staff(handyman, office/leasing, bookkeeping/collection), so that you are mostly supervising.
Best of luck!
7 Reply
Lynn McGeein
Real Estate Agent · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
Our long-term tenants know to save small items for our routine inspection that we try to do once a year or so -- some will leave a list, some post-it notes around the home. Planning to fix a lot of minor issues when we plan to be in town has saved $$$$ in what we call "stupid-trip" costs. We don't consider anything water-related to be petty as small water issues become big water issues quickly.
We did try the, Tenant responsible for first $40 in repairs route, earlier on, but they then didn't report issues until they were real problems because they didn't want to pay the $40, and ultimately, we found that we don't want tenant trying to fix anything, anyway, as they mostly don't know what they're doing. We do state in lease tenant is responsible for alarm batteries, light bulbs, and filters, but even then, we'll bring some with us when we come in case they haven't done it.
7 Reply
Wesley W.
Rental Property Investor · The Vampire State · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @William C.:
Update. The handle is confirmed broken. It has now moved into repair category. Who has tenants handling repair requests under a certain amount of money? Like they are college students. They could fix this in an hour. Or pay $100 for someone to do it. Or I can waste 2 hours doing it? It is rusted. Glad they started making them plastic...

I do not have a repair minimum that tenants are responsible for as some landlords do. I always thought that the tenants would then let small problems become bigger problems if they were responsible for the smaller problems.
The good news is if you look around, you can find these with the arms still made of metal. I share your disdain for the plastic ones (probably because I have replaced more than would care to), so I only use the metal ones when they break.
0 Reply
Jacob Graves
Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2019 · 64 posts · 29 votes
6y
@William C.
I would say that this does not warrant repair. If it was in working order and they broke it it's their problem. That might be blunt but as you mention if you tend to these types of issues it will become over whelming with alot of units.
1 Reply
Sean McKennaPro Member
Flipper/Rehabber · Goffstown, NH · Member since 2019 · 80 posts · 59 votes
6y
@Merritt S. Come on man. The op is here seeking advice. If they truly intended on being a slumlord then they wouldn’t be here asking how to handle this situation.
I’m glad you deleted your first post. You are also a contractor. Help this person see the light and what it takes to be successful. Attacking someone who is new to this game is not helpful.
9 Reply
Sean McKennaPro Member
Flipper/Rehabber · Goffstown, NH · Member since 2019 · 80 posts · 59 votes
6y
@William C.
Check out task rabbit or thumbtack.
Connect with local landlords that are in the area.
Maybe try hiring a property management company until you get your systems in place.
1 Reply
Mary M.
Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
You really do not want tenants repairing things. Its your asset. Take care of it!
6 Reply
Jon S.Pro Member
Investor · Tampa, FL · Member since 2015 · 530 posts · 92 votes
6y
@Wesley W.
Thanks for this tip! I sure would like a copy of your level one support documents. That’s a great idea. I’m not too proficient at marking up photos but it sounds like a skill worth learning.
0 Reply
Jon S.Pro Member
Investor · Tampa, FL · Member since 2015 · 530 posts · 92 votes
6y
@Mary Mitchell
OMG! Now that’s a nightmare that no one wants or expects!!! At that claim amount I’m surprised the insurance didn’t try to contest their liability. I assume tenant belongings were ruined? Did their renters insurance cover their losses? Sounds like a real mess, but I guess once you go through that you’re battle tested and ready for most any unexpected issue!
0 Reply
Jon S.Pro Member
Investor · Tampa, FL · Member since 2015 · 530 posts · 92 votes
6y
@Kris L.
My leases state something about the first $100, but I rarely use that clause, as I too worry that it discourages reporting of issues.
0 Reply
Mary M.
Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
@Jon S. Its an ongoing situation so remains to be seen how it all shakes out.
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