Does Property Management Include Maintenance?
Searching for an experienced partner to manage your rental property? Palmetto State Properties is known for their ability to manage, market and maintain rental properties in the greater Charleston, SC area. Contact us today.
Rental Property Management or Maintenance?
The term “property management” can mean different things to different people. To some, property management refers to the day-to-day tasks it takes to keep a rental property fully occupied and consistently turning a profit. That can involve rent collection, advertising vacant units, screening applicants, preparing leases, handling evictions, paying bills, and so on.
To others, property management also includes maintenance, both routine preventive maintenance, and repairs when the need arises. Routine maintenance may involve lawn care and yard work, removal of leaves, snow, and ice, trash and recycling pickups, cleaning of common areas, periodic inspections, testing of smoke and CO2 detectors, etc. Then there are the repairs required in response to tenant complaints about plumbing leaks, malfunctioning appliances, and the like. In larger multifamily properties, HVAC issues, insect infestations, swimming pool repairs, exterior lighting issues, or resurfacing of parking lots may need attention at some point.
The Intersection of Management and Maintenance
Many property management companies provide both daily management and routine maintenance of rental properties. When this is the case, it’s common for the property manager to call on outside experts for specialized repair services, particularly in emergency situations, such as a AC failure in the middle of a hot, humid summer night or flooding caused by a ruptured water pipe.
Most property management companies have a network of maintenance specialists they can reach out to, often at a better price than a landlord would pay on their own. Here at Palmetto State Properties, we do not markup vendor repairs and ensure you, as the property owner, receive high quality repairs by reputable companies who stand behind their work at a competitive price.
What’s Your Preference?
As a rental property owner, you have certain options when it comes to property management and maintenance:
- Do everything yourself, from finding quality tenants to mowing the grass or finding your own local service providers for routine upkeep, preventive maintenance, and emergency repairs. While this may be feasible for landlords with a small number of rental units and the time to devote to being their own property managers, it’s not for everyone.
- Find a full-service property management company that will do everything for you, including calling on their network of maintenance experts when disaster strikes.
Know What You’re Paying For
Some full-service companies include maintenance in their monthly bill, but others provide maintenance as a separate service for a separate fee. And some will mark up the fees experts charge for maintenance and repair services beyond what the property management company provides. Then, those experts bill the property management company, which tacks on a percentage before billing the property owner, without the property owner’s knowledge. Palmetto State Properties will never do this but want you to be aware of this practice as it can be common elsewhere.
The only way to be sure you’re making an appropriate, cost-effective decision is to ask prospective property management companies the right questions, such as:
- How do you charge for your services—as a monthly fee or as a percentage of the monthly rental income from the property?
- What services are included in your monthly fee for a property like mine? (Single family rental home or condo? Multifamily rental property?)
- Do you provide routine maintenance services?
- How do you handle emergency repair calls?
- Is turning over vacant property included in your standard services?
- Do you accept and manage direct maintenance-related complaints from tenants?
- When major repairs are required and you have to call in an expert, do you get the bill or do I?
- Do you add any markup to the bills for repairs executed by a professional you bring in—someone who is not on your regular payroll?
- Do you use software to schedule and manage maintenance tasks and, if so, does it give landlords visibility into the maintenance process?
With such information in hand, you’ll be able to make an informed decision that makes financial sense for you and protect the value of your rental property investment.
Palmetto State Properties Offers Property Maintenance and Repair
Our broad referral network has access to all the 24 hour, 7 day a week maintenance, repairs, inspections, and renovations your property needs. We can take care of all of your needs, whether they are simple repairs, extensive maintenance, or twice-yearly inspections. In most cases, there won’t be any out-of-pocket costs for you because we’ll make arrangements with our suppliers, work with the renters, and deduct the bill from the next month’s rent.
Why Consider Professional Property Maintenance?
Maintenance professionals will know what preventive maintenance tasks need to be performed—some of which might not even occur to a property owner. Checking a seemingly minor inspection point could reveal an issue that, if not addressed, could result in major damage requiring costly repairs. Moreover, a well-maintained property sees less tenant turnover and negative reviews.
Good preventive maintenance is essential to preserving the value of a rental property and can increase it over time.
It’s always important to work with an experienced property management company where possible, like Palmetto State Properties. We ensure your property gets the maintenance it needs at competitive prices, keeping your tenants happy and your property in good condition. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.
