Maintenance & Repairs
Not only is it important for an Agent to understand how to handle maintenance issues at a property when raised, they should be educating their clients and the property owners as to what those obligations are right from the outset of the management relationship.
Being a little direct, in no piece of tenancy legislation does it say that if the owner cannot afford maintenance then it's ok to ignore a tenants request or an agents recommendation to attend to some maintenance. Deciding to become and investor and let out the property comes with the obligation of ensuring that the property is well kept, the inclusions are in good repair and the property is fit for the tenant to live in.
A property ages and deteriorates through the normal use of tenants living in the property and the owner should always be reminded of their obligations under the tenancy law to ensure that maintenance is dealt with.
Each state and territory will have specific tenancy legislation that includes information on how maintenance should be dealt with. Generally speaking there are three types of maintenance to consider as a landlord or agent. Please see below:
Emergency Maintenance
Emergency maintenance can be defined in a number of ways however it should be broadly considered as maintenance that needs immediate and urgent attention.
It will be maintenance that could impact or injure the tenant, cause further damage to the property or the tenants possessions or general pose a risk to the owner, property and/or tenant.
Some examples of what could be considered an emergency maintenance issue are:
- An overflowing toilet
- A burst pipe or water service
- An non-working oven or something considered an essential service of a property
- A broken window or door that prevents the property from being secure and lockable
- Storm, fire or flood damage
- An electrical fault
- A maintenance issue likely to injure the tenant
Routine Maintenance
Routine maintenance could be considered as any repairs that are not emergency repairs. These issues should be attended to as soon as practicable.
Preventative Maintenance
When conducting routine inspections or in the lead up to a property becoming vacant it is recommended you advise the Landlords of any maintenance or improvements that could be made to ensure the property is looking at its best and the inclusions are working and in good repair.
Afterall, the owner will most likely want to achieve the maximum rent return in the marketplace. As a property ages it will deteriorate. Whilst you want to keep ongoing upkeep costs down for your clients it is inevitable that at times they will have to invest in improving the property. An owner who is mindful of preventative maintenance and keeping on top of the general upkeep of a property will ensure that they get the maximum rental return (and also ensure that the asset value of the property is the highest it can be!)
Some examples of preventative maintenance and upkeep are noted below for you to consider:
- Replacement of carpets between tenancies when the carpet is showing a lot of age and deterioration
- Replacement of soft floor coverings (older style vinyl / lino)
- Repainting the property internally and externally (gutters, eaves, downpipes etc.) when needed
- Top of garden mulch to make the gardens look fresh (also reduces the amount of weeds to the tenants to deal with throughout the tenancy)
- Trimming back of trees and gardens that are beyond the normal day-to-day gardening tasks before they get out of hand
- Replace older and slow ceiling fans
- Have the air cons fully serviced on a yearly basis before the summer season kicks in. This assists in extending the life of air con units
- Have the garage doors and motors serviced on a yearly basis. This assists in extending the life of the garage door, tracks and motor
- For properties that have "flex hoses" under sinks and behind toilets, have these checked annually to ensure that any evidence of ageing is detected before the hoses break and flood the property
Creating a company policy / procedure
It is important that as an Agent you have the ability to act on behalf of the owner and arrange maintenance for the property. Some owners will request that they are contacted before any contractor is engaged and money is spent. Whilst we can understand that some owners are very particular about maintenance instructions (especially where their budget may be quite tight) it is important for you to still have some element of authority to take action on emergency maintenance items at the least.
For those owners who say "don't do a thing until you talk to me" be really mindful that if you are unable to get a hold of them and the house is flooding due to a burst pipe or its a Friday afternoon and the front door lock has broken - you need to be able to take action before the matter escalates.
Ensure you have written authority and an authorised spend limit to act on their behalf.
Also be mindful that most tenancy laws around Australia allow a tenant to arrange emergency maintenance at the owners / landlords expense if they cannot get approval from the landlord. In those situations, wouldn't an owner be happier if you were handling the emergency maintenance over their tenant?
Helpful links regarding Minimum Housing Standards by State / Territory
In recent years the term Minimum Housing Standards has become more common. The Government have introduced these standards in some way and shape across the various states and territory's to ensure that properties are being maintained and kept to a suitable standard. Generally speaking these laws ensure that a property is fit for a tenant to live in.
For some more specific information in your state check out the links below or contact your State Tenancy Authority.
Queensland
https://www.rta.qld.gov.au/during-a-tenancy/maintenance-and-repairs/minimum-housing-standards
New South Wales
https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/rules/minimum-standards-for-rental-properties
Victoria
South Australia
https://www.housingsafetyauthority.sa.gov.au/minimum-housing-standards
Tasmania
https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/housing/renting/beginning-tenancy/minimum-standards
Western Australia
https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/rental-property-security-standards
Northern Territory
Australian Capital Territory
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.justice.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/2200445/Fact-Sheet-Minimum-standards-changes.pdf
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