Dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has been exhausting for everyone. And, while things are looking up in terms of vaccines and lower infection rates, this is still an ongoing crisis for most of the country. At Donley Carver, safety is our most important priority.
We want to share what we’ve learned about performing maintenance during the pandemic. We’re working with residents, owners, and vendors to provide ongoing maintenance services in a way that’s smart and safe, and we want to talk about how to handle these maintenance requests during the current climate.
Responding to Maintenance Requests during COVID
The process for handling maintenance requests needs to be flexible and safe. You will want to continue responding to emergency repairs and habitability issues with the same sense of urgency that you always have. For routine and non-emergency repairs, it’s okay to slow things down and be more deliberate in the way they’re scheduled, tracked, and managed.
You may find that some of the vendors you work with are still hesitant to go into homes. This might require that you hold off on unnecessary or cosmetic repairs. Most tenants do not mind; they understand that things aren’t 100 percent normal quite yet.
When repairs are made, we ask our residents and our vendors to take some extra precautionary steps. It’s easiest when tenants aren’t home when repairs are being made. That means less contact. We also ask tenants to disinfect and clean before and after the repair has been made. Gloves and masks are required for our vendors as well as tenants when they elect to stay in the Kansas City rental property during the repair.
Tenants Should Always Report Maintenance Issues
It’s possible tenants are slower to report maintenance issues as they happen. This is understandable, but it can also lead to deferred and problematic repairs.
Even if you’re not going to respond to it right away, you still need to know there’s a problem. Make sure your residents understand that they should still submit maintenance requests, even if it’s minor and even if the repair can be delayed.
Your tenants may not want strangers in their home, especially if they’re not yet vaccinated or they’re especially vulnerable to getting COVID. Be respectful, but work with them to find a way that makes everyone feel comfortable. You don’t want to put off necessary maintenance.
Tips for Safe and Effective Maintenance
Unexpected maintenance emergencies are going to continue, even during a pandemic. You will get calls for leaks, exploding water heaters, problems with electricity, and as our temperatures continue to stay hot as summer ends, issues with air conditioning.
We recommend you respond to these emergencies promptly to ensure your property remains habitable and your tenants safe. When you need to send a vendor or contractor over to the property, take a few precautions. We recommend:
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- Asking the tenants not to be at home when the repair is made.
- Requiring masks and gloves to be worn whenever possible and safe by your maintenance team.
- Instructing your vendors or contractors to provide extra cleaning on any surfaces that were touched during the repair.
- Taking extra pictures and notes to document who was in the property, what was done, and what the end result looked like.
If tenants are unable to leave during the repair, make sure they understand the requirements of social distancing and advise them to wash hands and clean thoroughly before and after the maintenance vendor is in the property.
This pandemic has required creative solutions to how homes are leased, managed, and maintained. If you need help with Kansas City property management now or in the future, please contact us at Donley Carver Investment Properties.