Maintenance Reporting!
An everyday occurrence that needs a little more attention - maintenance reporting!
Reporting Maintenance is an especially important part of being a tenant – reporting something as quickly and as accurately as you can, can help reduce the overall cost of the repair at the property, which is always appreciated by landlords. Here are a few simple things to think of when making a report.
1. Always follow your agencies process for maintenance reporting – this would have been explained at your sign up/key hand over. If you haven’t been explained this before then take it upon yourself to find out.
2. Most agencies will want the maintenance report in writing OR through their choice of maintenance/property application. This is very important, it helps keep a log of the event & when you reported it, it shows the owner that the report came from the tenant and it will contain the information needed for the repair.
3. Be as detailed as you can. “I have a leaking tap” compared to “The tap in the en suite has a slow drip” can remove the need to follow up and ask what tap. If you are unsure of the correct terms/description to use then just try the best you can, we can always clarify if required.
4. Photos. Taking photos of the problem can help a lot – for example with a leaking hot water system, it could be leaking from a few different areas and this could mean the difference between a plumber or an electrician being sent out.
5. Time is of the essence! Don’t delay your report – a leaking tap can cause a lot of damage and cost a lot in water.
6. Have you checked your troubleshooting guides? For example, when the power trips, it could be an appliance shorting out, so always do these types of checks first!
7. What if its an emergency? If its something that 000 would handle, call them immediately and then call your property manager. If its something that is not quiet for 000 but requires urgent attention, then call your property manager to advise them and follow up with an email (some agencies will prefer no phone calls regarding maintenance, so please make sure you’re following protocol).
We hope this helps you to understand the process of reporting maintenance. Please note, some agencies may have a different protocol for how you report maintenance, so always make sure you are doing it in the way that your agency wants you to. If you ever have any questions, just ask!
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