In Orlando, Florida, it is the landlord's legal responsibility to maintain the habitability and safety of rental properties. Tenants have a non-negotiable right to a liveable dwelling.
This means that landlords need to stay up to date on maintenance and repair issues. Although landlords are responsible for ensuring this happens, they don't have to complete maintenance and repairs themselves.
Hiring a rental property management company to help is ideal, but who pays for repairs? The landlord or the property manager? Keep reading to find out.
Do Property Managers Pay for Repairs?
When you hire a rental property management company, your money will cover the cost of repairs. Typically, you'll have to create a reserve fund with a couple of hundred dollars in it for property managers to use when maintenance issues arise.
A property management company will use the funds to hire contractors to make the repairs on your behalf. As the reserve funds start to dwindle, property owners can use rental income to restore the fund.
Depending on your agreement with the property management company, they may or may not have to ask your permission before completing a repair.
You can create a limit on the amount of money spent per repair. If the repair is quoted to cost more than your set limit, the property manager will ask your permission before proceeding.
Who Makes the Repairs?
Although property management company responsibilities include handling the maintenance and repair process, they don't make the repairs themselves.
Your property manager will find a reliable rental property repair contractor to handle basic maintenance tasks and can hire specialized contractors for bigger repairs as needed.
For a landlord, the search to find a reliable contractor can be time-consuming and expensive. Hiring a property manager eliminates the need for a search.
Most property management companies have a list of reputable contractors they have worked with in the past. If you have contractors you want to hire or don't want to hire based on past experiences, you can weigh in on the hiring process.
Importance of Quick Rental Property Repairs
A property investor turned landlord shouldn't be the maintenance person as well. Not only do you not have the right experience, but rental property repairs could take forever with only you doing the job.
Landlord duties include staying on top of routine maintenance and repairs, but that doesn't mean you have to do them alone.
Minor issues that aren't handled right away can evolve into more expensive problems. Scheduling fast repairs with the help of a property manager keeps tenants happy and keeps your property in good condition.
Rental Property Management Can Help!
Rental property maintenance and repairs are essential tasks that landlords are required to keep up with. However, becoming a landlord isn't ideal for an investor without experience.
Rental property management in Orlando can help. Property managers will handle the entire maintenance process using your allocated funds so you don't have to.
At PMI Prime Home, we have over 20 years of experience with property maintenance and repairs. We can handle everything from hiring contractors to keeping tenants happy.
Let us take the burden of maintenance off your shoulders. Contact us today to get started.
