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Hope Lumbley • Mar 26, 2021

3 Common Maintenance Mistakes & How to Avoid Them – Southwest Washington Property Management Advice

As a professional property management company in Southwest Washington, we’re here to help landlords avoid some of the most common mistakes they often make when they’re renting out their properties.

Maintenance is an area that can really cause you problems if you’re not willing to make an investment in good vendors, high-quality materials, and professional partnerships.

We’re talking about the three most common maintenance mistakes that landlords make.

Avoiding Maintenance in Rental Homes

The first and probably the worst mistake you can make as a landlord is to not do any maintenance at all. This is your investment property, and the money you earn depends on the condition of that property. If you allow it to deteriorate or fall into disrepair, you’re going to have a hard time renting it out, keeping tenants in place, and selling it if that’s part of your plan a few years down the road. Make sure you’re maintaining your property and respond to repair needs as soon as you notice them.

These can be simple things such as water leakage around the shower or gutters becoming overfilled in the rainiest seasons. Maybe your roof has moss gathering on it or your water heater is rusting. Don’t let deferred maintenance cost you more money. Even if it seems like an everyday problem, take care of the repair work. Listen to your tenants when they make maintenance requests , and make it a priority.

Improper or Inadequate Maintenance Work

The second most common problem we see is when repairs are not made properly. You don’t want to fix the same problem over and over again because it wasn’t handled properly the first time. If you try to have the work done inexpensively, it can cost you a lot more money than it would have cost to hire a qualified, licensed vendor to make the repairs.

You want things done right. This provides a better service to your tenant and it also protects the condition of your investment property.

Overpaying for Maintenance and Repairs

rent paymentThere’s also the problem of paying too much for a repair. If you’re calling around to find someone to take care of the problem but you don’t really know what the cost of the repair should be, this could result in spending more than you have to. Not understanding the costs of specific services and parts can lead landlords to paying double or triple the amount of what the repair should actually be.

This is where a professional property manager can be very helpful to you. We know the repairs that are typical at rental properties. We know what needs to be done to correct a defect or repair an item. We understand the costs. So, it’s favorable to have someone on your team who can take care of everyday maintenance to keep you out of trouble. You don’t want to pay too much.

If you have any questions about these maintenance mistakes or you’d like to talk about your Southwest Washington rental property, please contact us at SunWorld Group.

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