Mastering Emergency Maintenance: Essential Tips and How Homevest Simplifies the Process for Owners and Tenants
Emergency maintenance is frustrating for tenants, disruptive for rental property owners, and often expensive to pay for. As Orlando property managers, we have a number of processes and systems in place to reduce the risk of a maintenance emergency happening at your property. We focus on preventative services and routine repairs in order to avoid emergencies.
But sometimes, they happen.
If you’re renting out your own property, you’ll need a plan in place for addressing these unexpected situations. You’ll have to remain accessible to your tenants at all times. You never know when the water heater is going to erupt and cause a flood. You might have a late night phone call from a tenant because a sewer line has ruptured or a storm has brought a tree through a window.
There’s also hurricane season. Orlando is never a direct hit since it isn’t coastal, but the last few tropical storms have brought flooding, high winds, and property damage to our region.
These are all unpredictable situations, and that’s perhaps the worst part of emergency maintenance: it’s unpredictable. If you’re not prepared, you’ll end up spending more money and time than you wanted to.
An Orlando property management company can take some of that burden off your plate. Instead of being available to your tenants around the clock, you can hand those responsibilities over to a qualified professional who has experience managing emergency maintenance issues. At Homevest Management, we’re able to simplify much of the process thanks to our technology and our reliable team of vendors, contractors, and service providers. We keep costs down, we protect your property’s condition, and we provide an easy online portal for tenants to make most maintenance requests.
When we’re hired by owners and investors to lease, manage, and maintain investment properties, they’re expecting us to take care of everything from finding and screening tenants to collecting rent, enforcing the lease agreement, and handling repairs and maintenance.
If something goes wrong and an emergency response is needed, we are quick to diagnose the problem, coordinate with vendors, and keep your tenants calm. We will also keep you informed and mitigate any further damage.
We’re here to simplify the process for both owners and tenants with streamlined responses and consistent protocols. We save owners time and money. We save tenants a lot of hassle.
As a real estate investor, you need this peace of mind. It’s critical that you hire a property manager who has a solid emergency plan in place. The condition and the value of your property depends upon it. So the does the safety and comfort of your tenants.
Educate Your Orlando Tenants
Would your tenants be able to turn off the water supply if they had to?
Do they know where the breakers are? How to respond if they smell gas?
Tenants are your partners when it comes to maintaining your home. They’re the first to notice when an emergency occurs, and you need to make sure they’re prepared to take the important first steps in protecting themselves and your property.
As you’re discussing the lease agreement before your tenants move into your property, spend some time going over what should be considered a maintenance emergency. There will likely be different ways of reporting needed repairs, depending on whether it’s an emergency or a routine fix. For emergencies, you’ll likely want a phone call as soon as a tenant can safely get in touch. Explain to your tenants that you don’t expect to be disturbed in the middle of the night for a clogged garbage disposal, but a flooding kitchen is certainly a reason to call.
You want to be on the same page, and you want your tenants to recognize the urgency of those emergency repairs.
Remaining Available 24/7
When you partner with Homevest Management, you’re getting an Orlando property manager who is available 24/7 to respond to emergencies. This is essential because it means that any urgent problems are taken care of a lot faster. Tenants don’t have to wait around for a response. Property managers who are only available during regular business hours or on weekdays will not be much help if there’s an electrical fire in the middle of a night.
We deal with problems quickly, reducing the risk of any further damage to your property. We also eliminate any additional discomfort caused to your tenants.
One of the biggest challenges you face as a rental property owner is keeping tenants happy. When your residents report a problem that needs attention, they want it dealt with as soon as possible. If they can’t get in touch with you outside of regular business hours, they may feel like their concerns aren’t being taken seriously.
By having around-the-clock availability with your property manager at Homevest, you can ensure that any issues are dealt with quickly, making your tenants feel heard and valued. This contributes to a better tenant relationship, a more successful rental experience, and a higher chance of tenant retention.
We have seen a number of studies that revealed data on tenant turnover. It turns out that the number one reason tenant will leave a property is because their maintenance concerns were not addressed in a timely or effective manner. Our immediate responses build trust with your residents.
Vendor Relationships and Emergency Maintenance
Our outstanding vendor network also facilitates a better and easier emergency response. You are working with a property manager who already knows who to call. We have service professionals who are ready to respond right away, thanks to the relationship that’s already been established. Vendors and contractors are becoming harder to find – especially during emergencies. Don’t hope for the best. Have a plan in place.
Investing in Your Own Peace of Mind
We can list hundreds of reasons to work with a property manager in Orlando, but one of the best reasons is that it delivers peace of mind during the emergency maintenance process. You know that an experienced professional is taking care of business.
As a landlord, your rental property is not just a source of income but also a significant investment. It’s natural to want to protect this investment and ensure that everything runs smoothly. This requires a strategic maintenance response that allows you to protect the value of your asset. If there is a problem, you want to trust that your property manager is dealing with it as soon as possible. This is why you work with a team like ours; because we’re on the front lines any time something goes wrong at your property, whether it’s a minor issue or a sudden and serious emergency.
Property Management Emergency Plans
At Homevest, we have a lot of systems and processes in place, and they serve us well. They serve our owners well, too, especially during maintenance emergencies. Our plan ensures everyone stays focused during an otherwise chaotic situation. Here’s what our expert plan entails:
- Responsive and Recurring Communication
Before, during, and after an emergency, we will be prepared to communicate openly and transparently. Over-communicating is never a bad thing during an emergency. We’ll share what we know and update you and your residents throughout the emergency. In the aftermath, we will keep everyone on the same page and feeling more in control. You will know what’s going on and how we’re handling the problem. If there are large expenses that need to be discussed with you, we’ll talk them through before authorizing any work as long as that doesn’t jeopardize the safety of your tenants or the condition of your investment.
- Maintaining Updated Contact information
It’s so important to make sure everyone has the right contact information. We ask tenants to update us when they change phone numbers or email addresses, and we need you to do the same. If we cannot get in touch with you during an emergency, there will be a disconnect that only makes management more difficult.
- Insurance Information and Claims
When there’s an emergency that impacts your rental property, you’re going to need to know that your insurance policy is up to date and that you’re covered. Don’t wait for the emergency to happen before you find out whether you’re protected against that particular type of loss. Make it a habit to check in with your insurance agent regularly.
There are a lot of different policies out there. You need to be sure your asset is covered, and you need to know what else you can count on. Maybe your landlord policy covers relocation assistance for your residents and loss of rent.
We’ll coordinate with any adjusters when claims need to be followed. For that, we’ll need your policy number and the contact information for your agent or insurance company. Make sure they’re accessible to you.
No one likes to think about emergencies that might occur, but we know it’s best to be prepared for them. Let’s talk about protecting your property. Contact us at Homevest Management, Inc. for all of your Orlando property management needs. We serve all of Central Florida, including Winter Garden, Doctor Phillips, Baldwin Park, Winter Springs, and Windermere.
