You would not want to live in a house that didn’t have electricity or running water. As a landlord, you can’t expect your tenants to be ok with these living conditions either. Establishing contractor relationships ensures you can get your rental property fixed quickly. Your tenants will thank you, and you will stay in compliance with Texas landlord/tenant law.
Cultivating vendor relationships allows you to act quickly to address your tenant’s concerns and keep your rental property in the best condition.
1. Electrician
Attempting to DIY your electrical maintenance and repair puts you, your tenant, and the rental property at risk. At best, you get a small shock. At worst, you could end up in the hospital or with the entire house burning down. Encourage your tenants to report any electrical issue, no matter how minor they think it might be.
2. Plumber
Similar to the electrician, a plumber is a must for ensuring your rental home remains a safe and habitable place to live. Your tenant could have a clogged toilet, broken faucet, or leaks. If these issues are left unaddressed, further property damage occurs, which creates greater repair costs for you.
3. HVAC Technician
Similar to electricity and plumbing, your tenant doesn’t want to discover their HVAC system isn’t working. Especially during the coldest days of winter or the hottest days of summer. You should have the system checked seasonally, but this doesn’t guarantee that it won’t ever suddenly stop working. Having a technician be able to respond to emergency calls is a must for keeping your tenants happy.
4. Pest Control
When you see one bug, there is an entire colony lurking somewhere. That one pest discovers that your rental home is a great place to live and brings the entire bug community with them. Now you have an infestation on your hands. Acting quickly is crucial to protect your rental home. Having a relationship with a pest control vendor means you can stop bugs and pests in their tracks, protecting both your rental property and the tenants.
A pest control company can treat your home for termites, rodents, bed bugs, or roaches. This protects the integrity of the rental home.
5. Locksmith
Your tenant calls and says they have lost their key. Having a locksmith on call ensures they can get back into the property. Now you don’t have to drop everything to make the tenant a new key. You can also work with the locksmith to change the lock on the property when your current tenant moves out.
6. Landscaper
Hiring a landscaper is about more than just mowing the lawn and trimming the hedges. Your landscaper can provide additional services, such as clearing up the property after a storm or trimming a tree with dead or falling branches. This keeps the property in a safe condition to prevent anyone from getting hurt and reduces your liability as the landlord. In some cases, cleaning up the branches and other landscaping can protect your property. For example, if you have a tree hanging over the roof.
7. Handyman
When you have a handyman on-call, you have a go-to person that can take care of the small tasks. Otherwise, you must do everything yourself, which can be time-consuming. A handyman can make all of the small repairs and maintenance that pop up. For example, they could replace dead bulbs, faulty appliances, or paint.
Create Your List of Vendor Relationships
Having ongoing relationships with these key contractors ensures you can respond quickly to your tenant’s needs. Not only does this keep your tenants happy, but it also protects you from potential lawsuits and maintains the condition of your property.
Contact our team of skilled property managers to help create your vendor relationships list.
