PM - Repairs and Maintenance

All homes will need upkeep from time-to-time. When routine inspections are performed, your property manager will identify any items which may need repair around your investment property. 

Your tenant may also occasionally report items for repair during their lease, which is to be viewed as a positive sign of open communication – there’s nothing worse than discovering a small problem (i.e. a crack in a wall or a window, mould build-up due to lack of ventilation in a shower) which has grown into a bigger problem due to inattention! 

If an item breaks down in your property, it must be repaired in a reasonable time-frame. If a repair cannot be achieved, the item needs to be replaced. 

As a time-saving measure, consider giving your property manager an authorised repairs budget so they may swiftly enact any repairs necessary to your investment property. 

By being proactive in matters of maintenance and repair, you are helping to ensure that your investment remains in quality condition for many years to come. 

Repairs and maintenance – when to act fast

As property managers we do believe that maintaining your property to a high standard will keep tenants happy and protect your investment. But there can be no doubt that some maintenance issues need to be dealt with more quickly than others, as if left unattended they can affect the health of your tenant, or create unnecessary risks for you as a landlord.

1. Adequate window locks

We have just come out of a terrible 12 month period where statistics show 39 Australian children under age nine were hospitalised from window falls.

Tenants and owners are now being encouraged to secure windows above a certain height with proper safety devices to reduce this number, and the current recommendation is that flyscreens are not enough when there are young children present in the property.

In addition, the presence or absence of window locks may also affect the tenants insurance premiums; all in all,  this may be a good thing to say “yes” to from both a safety point of view as well as a customer service point of view!

2. Toxic mould

Mould is a type of fungi that grows in damp, dull and poorly ventilated spaces such as some kitchens, bathrooms and laundries, mostly occurring in the summer months. The property doesn’t need to be old to grow mould; in some properties less than two years old there have been reports of mould spores in other areas of the property, such as bedrooms!

It’s probably better to be safe than sorry and have any mould reported handled by professionals, with some handy hints and tips for tenants with respect to ventilation and keeping the property mould free.

3. Switchboard overloading

In older buildings electrical cables and switchboards can become overloaded with tenancy changes and added electrical equipment. It’s likely that there weren’t so many personal computers back in the 70’s and 80’s when some of the nation's larger apartment blocks were built! This gradual overload can lead to overheating of circuit boards, and in more extreme cases, electric shock or even fire.

As overloading usually happens gradually it can remain undetected for years. Of course, it pays to have wiring checked out before you purchase. And it also goes without saying that if a tenant raises the flag because the power is regularly tripping, or that there is some other electrical problem it should be attended to immediately, with the services of a professional electrician.