Having a great maintenance team can be more valuable than a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
Sourcing suppliers that provide quality repairs and maintenance as well as a professional attitude not only makes the tenant happy but your life so much easier. Below are some things to consider when it comes to maintenance (if you haven’t already) before the oven breaks.
Find good tradesmen
Easier said than done. When trying to find good, reliable tradesmen, look locally and trust word of mouth from friends and family. Do some online research and look for ratings or comments on forums etc. and always make sure they have an ABN, appropriate insurance and are licensed. Investing in research time prior to engaging with a company could save a lot of heartache down the line.
Outline your top maintenance requests
Sit down with your team and discuss what the top requests are when it comes to maintenance. Once you have listed them, think of any suggestions you can make to the tenant to resolve it themselves (if possible) and write them down for reference. Create a list of questions to ask the tenant when they do put the request in, so you are able to give as much information to your supplier as possible.
Keep communication between your maintenance team and office fluid
Don’t approach dealing with your suppliers as an ‘us vs them’ scenario. Keep the communication flowing so there are no misunderstandings when dealing with tasks, property access and scheduled times. The clearer the communication, the quicker the job will be completed!
Touch base after the request is completed
Once the scheduled maintenance is completed, drop a quick phone call to the tenant or send an email to follow up. Ask how the tradesman was, whether the job was completed properly and if there is anything else that you can do for them. By investing in obtaining feedback, you will secure the trust of your tenant and also ensure your tradesmen are giving top quality service.
It can be easy to sometimes forget the importance of your suppliers when that urgent maintenance issue happens on Friday evening when you’re about to take a sip of your wine or beer. By knowing the importance they play in retaining quality tenants and investing the time in maintenance ensures that the job is completed to everyone’s standards.
