If you’re just starting out as a landlord, you know that there are going to be times your tenants call you with unexpected repairs. While no one likes getting the call at 2am that water is leaking (this is why you hire a property manager), it is something you need to prepare yourself for. If you’ve hired a property manager, at least you don’t have to take the 911 call, but either way, it is an issue with your home that will need addressing.
- The gas – A gas leak is a serious matter and every second counts in mitigating the risks when there is one. Of course, this is why California mandates there be carbon monoxide detectors in each level of the home. Nevertheless, a freak incident may occur in which case the first thing your tenants should do is call the gas company. Make sure they have the gas company’s phone number on hand.
- Fire – Though it’s very rare that fires do occur, they aren’t impossible. We’ve seen it before! A tenant puts a plastic cutting board in the broiler, a burner is accidentally left on, or, tragically a wildfire occurs. Whatever the cause, tenant caused or not, the most important thing is to ensure everyone is able to exit the home safely. A fire plan should be put in place and tenants should know their escape routes in case of an emergency.
- Power – Nearly every landlord has had this one at one point or another. If you’re a new landlord, it is only a matter of time. When outages occur, as they do on extremely hot days in Southern California, be prepared for that call. Unfortunately, if it’s an outage during a heat wave, there is not much you as a landlord can do and you will likely have to deal with some overheated and unhappy tenants losing their groceries to a warming fridge. If the outage is unexpected, however, make sure your tenants have the number for the power company so they can contact them right away and notify them of the issue before their groceries spoil.
- Water – This can cause some major damage beyond just structural. Most tenants worry about mold the minute a water leak is discovered and that could be a huge liability if you do no have the issue addressed in a timely manner. Make sure your tenants know where the shut off is for the water so, in the event of a leak, they can turn of the water to the house/unit and prevent further damage. Additionally, have older roofs inspected and gutters cleaned out regularly. It’s better to spend a few hundred dollars preventatively to monitor things, than to deal with thousands of dollars of restoration.
- HVAC – This is probably your most common occurrence – especially now that the heat of the summer is here. HVAC technicians will tell you it’s always the week of a heat wave when the AC decides to stop working. This is in large part because tenants forget to change out the filters and start cranking the AC all day everyday. Make sure your tenants understand it is their responsibility to replace the filter to keep the system operating.
If you’re someone who’s tired of taking the tenant’s calls or feel you’d rather avoid these headaches altogether, True Property Management can relieve you of all these stresses. Let us handle the 2am emergency calls. Let us calm your tenants down and coordinate repairs. Let us do the hard part for you so you can get back to living your life! Contact us for more info here or call 866-957-6677.