Each property management company has its own way of handling maintenance. Some companies will allow owners to do their own repairs while a tenant is in the house. That’s a practice you’ll find with new, start-up companies that don’t have a lot of experience in the industry. More experienced Grand Rapids property managers will avoid this because of the liability issues it can cause.
Legally Required Maintenance
The contract you have with your property management company should address how maintenance is handled when housing laws and liability issues are at stake. A lot of property managers will not make repairs without the owner’s consent if the cost is over a certain limit – usually $300 or $500. However, if something at your property is in violation of city code, it has to be fixed. Most property managers will fix anything that is a liability or against housing code which may cost over the $300 to $500 limit; and you’ll be notified after the fact. This protects owners from being sued if something should happen to the tenant.
Maintenance on Vacant Properties
In between tenants, there is a lot more flexibility with maintenance. If owners want to do their own turnover, that’s fine. However, many property managers will not market a property until all the work is complete and they are able to inspect it. The house must pass your property managers standards. When property managers handle the turnover maintenance, they are able to begin marketing the property as soon as a tenant gives notice. They’re able to show the property in those last 30 days of a lease period and hopefully have the place re-rented before the current tenant even moves out. Property managers know what’s needed at the property, so they’re able to make some quick adjustments and get the new tenant moved in right away. This is a huge advantage to the property owner. A lot of marketing time is lost when owners try to handle the turnover themselves.
How Saving Money Now Can Cost You Later
Here’s an actual example that illustrates the problem you can have when you try to save money in the short term without any thought to the long term. A tenant put a deposit down on a house that needed painting, and the property management company was going to have the home painted and the tenant moved in within five days. The owner decided he wanted his daughter to paint it before the tenant moved in. She offered to do it for $300 less than an insured contractor was going to charge. However, she wasn’t going to be able to do the work for a couple of weeks. The deposit get returned to the tenant because that tenant needed to move in somewhere right away. It took the owner’s daughter three months to complete the paint job, so he lost three months worth of rent while the daughter painted the house, plus the extra month it took to market it and find a new tenant. In order to save $300 on a paint job, this owner lost four months of rent.
This example is important to show you that a professional property management company is going to save you money and provide a higher quality of work. You want to be concerned with the money in your pocket at the end of the year or at the end of five years, not with saving a few dollars right now.
24 Hour Maintenance
Many property management companies offer 24 hour maintenance service to tenants. If you aren’t able to respond to every call personally, you can hire a service to screen maintenance calls for you after hours. It’s important to get as much information as possible when the call comes in so you know if it’s truly an emergency. A toilet that doesn’t work is only an emergency if there are no other toilets in the house. Make sure you have someone qualified screening these maintenance calls.
We’d be happy to tell you more about how your property manager should handle maintenance. Please contact us at United Properties for more information.
Sergio joined United Properties in 2020. He is a graduate from Pickens Technical College as a Nurse Assistant and as a Small Animal Care Provider in 2010. In the past nine years, Sergio has had various jobs, all focused around customer service.
Eden joined United Properties in 2016. Eden graduated from Davenport University in 2015 with an Associate’s in Business Administration. She’s the Executive Assistant to the Owner of United Properties, with a focus on procedural documentation. She enjoys playing guitar, reading, and doing outdoor activities. Eden is trilingual and able to communicate in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language. 
David joined the United Properties team in 2019 as the Director of Client Relations and Business Development. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading all leasing, application underwriting, tenant relations, accounts receivable, process improvement, remote workers, and general office functionality (essentially anything outside of maintenance and service). David comes from a longstanding career at a Fortune 15 company primarily in a sales and customer service leadership role.
Tim VandenToorn serves as Managing Partner of United Properties of West Michigan, working closely with our owners and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company. Tim also started United Realty, which serves as a brokerage for United Properties and assists investors with the acquisition of investment properties.
Matthew joined the United Properties in early 2020. He is a graduate of Lee University with a bachelor’s in Intercultural Studies and also a master’s in Discipleship and Christian Formation. Matthew serves as a project manager over the Rent Ready process. He has 20 years of construction experience and over 10 years of experience in leadership positions. He oversees a team of technicians and schedules outside vendors getting properties back to the United rent-ready standard so that they can be leased again.
Carla joined United Properties in late 2019 as a billing specialist. Carla ensures invoices are received from contractors and bills them out in a timely fashion.
Cristina joined United Properties as the billing assistant in October of 2020. She has experience as a technology professional, an English-Spanish translator, and has worked the past several years as the treasurer of her condominium.
Rick is one of the newest members of our team. He has an extensive background in customer service. He and his wife are raising their 4-year-old son. Rick loves beef jerky so much he makes his own.
Harriet joined United Properties as a billing assistant in February of 2021. She has experience as a bookkeeper and a Property Manager for a Real Estate account. She was a working student during her college days. Harriet loves cleaning because she thinks it is therapeutic. She also loves watching series during her free time, and she’s a fur mom of one dog. Her inspiration to work every day is her family.
Diego has an extensive background in customer service and, most recently in Maintenance and
My name is Paulina Gonzalez. I have been working for the company since early 2021. I studied social work and have 7 years of experience in customer service. I speak English and Spanish. I am very patient, and I like to ask a lot of questions to learn a lot. I enjoy small road trips and cold rainy weather. I have a 3-month-old puppy, and he is my favorite thing in the world.
Jessica has a Bachelor’s Degree in Financial strategies and public accounting and is studying a masters in Blockchain and Fintech regulation. She has previous experience as a customer service representative. She speaks English and Spanish. She loves taking long walks with her three dogs, hiking and road tripping during the weekends.
Chris Good is new to the United Properties Team since June 2022 as a Business Development Manager. With years of experience in both the construction industry (Master Electrician) and the Real Estate industry (Broker), he will closely work with new and experienced investors to facilitate their real estate goals.
Melba Alvarez
Enrique Vergara (Henry)
Alyssa Lawrence
Mike Cleveland