One of the perks of renting an apartment is that you generally don’t have to deal with the hassles of repairs and regular maintenance. If something breaks or goes wrong, a simple email or call to your landlord usually gets the problem fixed.
And problems do happen. The dishwasher leaks, the heater doesn’t heat, or the air conditioner only makes noise. A maintenance request helps ensure that your landlord (or the building’s management company) does something about the issue in your apartment home.
To make sure the issue is addressed properly and in a timely fashion, your maintenance request should contain useful information and be thorough. The more helpful and specific the information, the more likely your maintenance request receives an appropriate resolution.
In an apartment building, the landlord is responsible for looking after and cleaning all tenant common areas. This includes areas such as the lobby, halls, elevators, stairs, laundry and garbage rooms. The landlord also cuts the lawn and shovels the snow. However, you are responsible for cleaning inside your apartment home.
Your landlord is responsible for repairs in all types of rental housing. This includes repairs to heating, plumbing, electricity and appliances that come with the apartment (for example stoves, refrigerators).
If you or your guests cause damage to the unit or building, you are responsible for repairing it. The resident needs to keep the house premises clean and should inform the landlord about any damages as soon as possible, and not cause any damages to the premises except for the natural wear and tear.
Report maintenance issues promptly
Call your landlord or property manager shortly after you’ve noticed an issue. Read your rental agreement to ensure you call the right party. Be sure you have the direct number to the onsite leasing office. Why not program this number into your contact list for quicker access to maintenance?
If the situation is an emergency, such as a broken pipe causing a flooded bathroom, look for an emergency maintenance phone number on your rental agreement, and call it immediately. You will want this number than the number you used when you were calling for leasing information.
If it’s not an emergency, let the landlord or site manager know whether the maintenance team can enter your apartment while you’re away. If you prefer to be home when the work takes place, offer a block of several hours in which the work can take place.
You may not see the importance of a leaky faucet, but the affect this has on utility costs can be major. Don’t ignore these types of maintenance issues as doing so could lead to even bigger issues.
