Due to the nature of our company, we commence managing the majority of our properties as soon as they’ve been completed and settled.
As a result, there can be warranty maintenance issues that will surface as tenants move in and start using plumbing, electricity, appliances, and so on. This doesn’t always happen, but it can, and does!
Our department believes this to be part of our job and as Investors Direct already has an established relationship with our builders and suppliers; it makes sense that we develop that relationship further, right through the maintenance warranty period to ensure the work is done.
It can sometimes be difficult, without any doubt whatsoever, but it is such an extremely important item, we do persist until the maintenance item is handled – under warranty.
‘Normal’ maintenance is a much easier process – that’s if maintenance could ever be considered easy! But it does mean that we don’t have to wait for a builder to arrange for their tradespeople to attend a property, we can use our own preferred tradespeople as they will attend to most of our work orders in a much quicker time frame. They will also attend to after hours’ work if required.
But we have heard from a number of our landlord clients that their previous property managers wouldn’t handle warranty maintenance – and that’s actually why they came to us. Others ask that landlords make contact with the relevant builder when warranty maintenance is required. But that really is a property manager’s job.
We’ve also taken over properties because the property manager has certainly arranged for work to be done, but by an external trade and the items were still under warranty. This has resulted in an unwarranted invoice to the property owner.
Maintenance is never a fun job, but it’s certainly our job and our responsibility. Make sure your property manager is handling your warranty maintenance!
If you have any questions on any aspect of property management, please don’t hesitate to call or send me an email… Jan Malmstrom 0408 769 053 or jan@investorsdirect.com.au
We look forward to hearing from you!