A Simple Maintenance SOP Every Rental Property Owner Should Have

One thing I've been thinking about lately is how easily a maintenance request can get lost between the moment a tenant reports a problem and the moment the repair is completed.

A simple process could prevent a lot of unnecessary confusion.

Here's an example of a basic maintenance SOP:

Step 1: Receive the request
Record the tenant's name, property address, unit number, issue, and date reported.

Step 2: Triage the issue
Determine whether it needs immediate attention or can be handled as a routine repair. Urgent issues should follow the property's emergency procedure.

Step 3: Assign responsibility
Identify who is responsible for contacting the vendor and coordinating the next steps.

Step 4: Track progress
Record when the vendor was contacted, when the visit was scheduled, and any updates received.

Step 5: Confirm completion
Don't close the work order just because the vendor says the job is done. Confirm completion using the appropriate documentation and, where necessary, feedback from the tenant.

Step 6: File the records
Keep the original request, work order, relevant photos, invoice, and completion confirmation together under the correct property and unit.

The goal is simple: every request should have a clear status and someone responsible for following it through to completion.

For property managers and self-managing landlords: Do you already have a written maintenance SOP, or do you handle requests as they come in?