It’s not always easy being a landlord. That’s because there’s a possibility of your tenants calling you in the middle of the night when they’re having trouble with a leaking faucet, or they’re avoiding making eye contact with you in the halls when they can’t pay their monthly rent and dues.
Sometimes, it can be exhausting to be at your tenants’ beck and call, even if it is your job to keep them satisfied with your service. But it’s not always bad. There can be times when the good things overpower the discomfort, such as when your tenants strike friendly conversations or keep you company whenever they have the opportunity.
On days like those, being a landlord can feel like the most satisfying job in the world, especially if your tenants appreciate you for all your hard work. Besides, it’s not every day that a pipe burst, a light in the hallway dies, or the power goes out. Oftentimes, doing basic maintenance around the property can be a nice change of pace.
However, you have to admit that there are simply things that you aren’t equipped with the right skills to perform. Most landlords usually double as the property’s automatic handyman, but certain tasks like installing Wi-Fi, repairing a broken television, or fixing an overflowing toilet are just right outside of your skill set.
Fortunately, you don’t have to do everything on your own. There are plenty of home service businesses that are devoted to making people’s lives easier. As the landlord, here are three expert contacts that you can refer to your tenants if they ever need help that is beyond your skills:
HVAC Specialists
The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is one of the most common things that malfunction inside the house. It can be because the system is being pushed to its limit during seasons with harsh weather conditions, or simply because it’s not being maintained as much as it should be.
When this system malfunctions, it can be difficult for your tenants to feel comfortable within their homes because it could either be too cold or too hot for their liking. And you might not have the skills to make the repairs on your own, which is why you need to have HVAC specialists on your list of contacts.
Besides, malfunctions and repairs aren’t the only problems you can face. Your tenants may want to upgrade their air conditioning system, which means the new unit needs to be installed. For this, you can find professionals who can do residential air-conditioning installations so you can recommend them to your tenants.
Plumbers
If your tenant’s problem only involves leaking faucets or clogged drains that they can’t fix themselves, then all you’ll need is to get your toolbox and get to work. Minor repairs like these shouldn’t faze you, but if the problem is something you think you can’t handle, it would be in your best interests to seek help from professional plumbers.
That’s because plumbing problems can quickly spiral out of control. If you don’t address the problem at its root, the damage may spread to other units and affect your tenants, even if they weren’t experiencing problems in the first place. This can happen because most rental properties are connected to one main plumbing line.
But if you could get your tenant to contact a plumber while the damages are still manageable, it can stop the problem before it gets out of hand. It can help if you remind your tenants to bring issues like these to your attention so that you can make the appropriate decisions when the situation calls for it.
Electricians
Each year, there are approximately 50,000 electrical house fires that take hundreds of deaths with it. Worn-out appliances, loose wiring, and overloaded circuit breakers are only a few of the most common causes of electrical fires, which can be incredibly dangerous in rental properties because the units are next to each other.
It’s possible that your tenants won’t notice the signs of a potentially dangerous situation until it’s too late. But it could be in everyone’s best interests if you can provide them with the contact number of electricians that they can call if they were to ever encounter problems with their electrical wiring or appliances.
Even if you are in charge of the entire rental property, that doesn’t mean that you need to fix all the problems within it. You can always get professional help for situations that are beyond your skill set, especially if it means that you can keep your tenants and their homes safe from harm.