Timely and quality maintenance is one of the cornerstones of success in property management. Having a team of skilled, reliable professionals upon whom you can call whenever the need arises is worth its weight in gold. Below are a few things to consider to ensure that your maintenance process is managed like a well-oiled machine.

Establish relationships in advance.

The last thing you want is to be scrambling around, trying to find a plumber while one of your units is being flooded. The first step in managing the maintenance process is to find qualified tradespeople and establish an ongoing relationship before a problem occurs. Ask for recommendations from friends, family and colleagues. Do your research and check online reviews. Then, get them on your list.

Determine your most frequent requests.

Another way to proactively manage your property maintenance is to determine in advance what types of requests are the most common. This will help you figure out what types of contractors are most critical, and should therefore be an essential part of your maintenance team.

Set expectations.

To keep your relationship with your maintenance crew positive and productive, you should make sure all expectations are clearly set. Specifically, your contractors should know exactly what they need to do, where it needs to be done, and when it needs to be completed by. This will also help to set expectations for your owners and tenants as well.

Keep the lines of communication open.

When it comes to effective property maintenance, making sure everyone is on the same page is fundamental. You should view your maintenance team as an extension of your regular staff. Make communication back and forth as easy and convenient as possible – ideally through an online portal. Any changes or delays should be conveyed in a timely manner, and updates provided frequently.

Follow up after the fact.

Once a maintenance request has been successfully completed, there should be one final step to the workflow: follow up. First, check in with the owner and/or tenant to ask about their experience. Then, touch base with the contractor to thank them for their work. If there were any issues, those should be mentioned and addressed accordingly as well.

A well-maintained property is the key to tenant retention and owner satisfaction. By recognizing this and being diligent about managing a team of qualified property maintenance and repair professionals, you’ll lay the groundwork for many years of future success.