8 Most Common Rental Problems and Repairs

August 21, 2019

8 Most Frequent Property Repairs

As a landlord or property manager, unit repairs and maintenance requests are going to more costly than expected.

Higher service contractor fees, and parts costs are likely cutting into your bottom line. Tenants aren’t always at fault in these added costs however they can certainly be educated and perhaps manage these pesky issues.

It could come down to you missing certain maintenance tasks which leads to big repair bills.

Wear and Tear is Inevitable

The fact is, all mechanic systems have wear and tear limits and at some you’ll hit them. If you’re aware of the top 8 repairs needed, you can pre-advise tenants on maintenance and proper use, and avoid excessive repair costs and unnecessary maintenance visits.

Most Common Repairs are the Basis of Your Maintenance Strategy

This list of the top 8 landlord repair issues should be the foundation of your maintenance strategy. These issues can be costly in terms of time and budget, so your focus on them should help you avoid costly trouble.

From your initial unit inspection to your maintenance schedule, you can substantial lessen your exposure to big operating losses, something that makes owners unhappy.

Every country or state has its own mandatory landlord responsibilities and maintenance standards. If you keep things working well, you’ll avoid breaches of the landlord codes, thus avoiding extra legal costs at some point.

Respond proactively to these major rental property repair and maintenance issues and you’ll look caring and professional. That’ll help you with tenant lease renewal rates and future rent rises too. Address these most common landlord repair challenges and your tenant management success will rise.

And don’t forget to handle them with a great property management software solution.

Top Rental Unit Repair Requests:

Garbage Disposals – wrong stuff going down the sink. Kitchen garbage disposal units are a godsend for many tenants. They love the time saving convenience. They get a lot of use in many households, however when they put grease and oil, certain fruit pits and peelings, paper, plastic, tinfoil, pasta, coffee grounds, and other items, the unit can come grinding to a halt. The tenant should have clear guidelines as to what can be put in the garbage disposal. Check out Healthy Kitchens reviews of quality garbage disposals.
Plumbing Leaks: besides low water pressure and that the water is too hot, tenants will contact you regarding leaks from toilets, faucets, and sinks. Plumbing is very expensive and warrants extra attention. High quality fixtures will help reduce issues. Ensure you have all washers, hoses, plastic PVC pipes, handles, and joints inspected and replaced during inspection. Plumbing should always be done by a qualified plumber.
Appliance Breakdowns – dishwashers, washers and dryers have moving parts that are sure to wear out. Refrigerator compressors get too hot due to dust accumulation on coils. Some landlords are choosing appliance rental companies to outsource this inevitable breakdown and maintenance problem.
HVAC Systems – one of the most costly repairs is A/C breakdowns. Dirty air filters, leaking refrigerant, thermostat problems, compressor malfunctions, and lack of maintenance are most common issues that bring the HVAC techs in. When your tenant must run the air conditioning hard, they’ll see warning signs the system is about to breakdown. Check consumerreports guide on the best HVAC systems.
Plugged Furnace Filters – Some property management companies demand the tenant to change the filters on schedule as part of their lease. Plugged filters make systems work harder and harder and are an obvious source of repair expense.
Clogged Sinks and Toilets – not a plumbing issue per se, but often you, your technician, or the plumber will have to take care of it. Sinks have traps that frequently get blocked with different materials, and might be cleared with some liquid plumber. Toilet leaks often come from wear on toilet seams or the tank parts, or from the wax ring and loose screws. Here’s hot Bob Vila gets drains unclogged.
Bugs – ants and termites and other unpleasant bugs get in, often drawn by a lack of cleanliness in the unit. The kitchen will be the attraction, and they might get in via windows, siding, and doors. Older homes are more susceptible. Bed bugs are a topic that strikes fear in landlords and you should be on the lookout. Here’s Massachusetts gov guide to bugs.
Roof Leaks – after a big rain storm, you’ll often get calls for roof leaks. The stains on the ceiling will tip off tenants that the roof has a hole or crack in it. Wind may blow shingles loose or the trim around the fireplace or exhaust pipes might be loosened. Just one hole is enough to let the water in.

One purpose of inspection is to establish a reference point of good unit condition. You can then measure the current condition against that to estimate your future repair bills.

If you don’t set a good maintenance schedule for tenants, you might expect the worst. The fact is, they don’t own the equipment, appliances and house. They may lack the sense of care and respect you see as ideal, therefore keeping an eye out for signs of neglect could save you a lot of money.

You won’t always be able to take tenants to court to recover big financial losses. It’s a wise business decision to keep an eye out for these top 8 landlord rental unit problems.

Don’t forget to check out the full features of an affordable property management platform: ManageCasa.