As a landlord or property owner, you have an obligation to ensure your residents live in a safe and healthy home. Part of this obligation includes fulfilling repair requests in a timely manner. Your ability to care for your residents can reflect positively on you and your properties – good word of mouth, happy residents, increased property value, etc. So, we’ve put together some great tips on how to address tenant repair requests. Did you find this post helpful? Comment below!
- Outline repair requests in your lease. Before a tenant moves into your property, you should have them sign a lease including a clause stating your property repair responsibilities. As a landlord or property owner, you are legally accountable for making all major and some minor repairs to your residence in a timely manner. For more on tenant rights in Minnesota, visit here.
- Instruct your residents on how to properly submit repair requests. Supply your tenants with a repair request form and a sheet detailing instructions on how they should submit a repair request. All repair requests should be submitted in writing, signed, and dated. Make a copy of this repair request for your records.
- Plan to make repairs as soon as possible. Repair requests should be fulfilled within 60 days of their submission. Ideally, you should address your tenant’s repair request as soon as possible. You do not want to make them wait. This will result in an unhappy tenant.
- Communicate with your tenant about fulfilling their repair request. Communicate directly with your tenant about when you intend on making the repairs. You should follow up the conversation with a written notice. This notice should state when you spoke with the tenant and when you plan on visiting their property to make the repair. If you’re only making a minor repair, you may want to forgo the official notice after speaking with the tenant.
- Make the repair and follow up. Once you’re finished with the repair, you should leave a small notice at the property stating when you visited and the repairs you performed in the residence. Follow up with your tenant. Call or email them to see if they are satisfied with the repair. Remember, your professionalism and quick response time when addressing any type of repair requests will be appreciated by your tenants.
