In Florida, a tenant's right to a liveable dwelling is non-negotiable. This fundamental right cannot be waived in a rental agreement.
Property management companies and routine maintenance can help landlords comply with tenant's rights. With regular maintenance and repairs, your property stays in good condition.
But, do property management fees cover rental maintenance or maintenance coordination only? Keep reading to find out.
Routine and Major Rental Maintenance
Many property management companies draw a clear line between routine and major property maintenance. Property management fees may cover routine maintenance, but not major maintenance.
The details of rental property management tasks will be outlined in your agreement.
Routine maintenance refers to minor repairs and preventative maintenance. Major maintenance is unlikely to be covered because it requires higher fees. Major maintenance tasks might include roof replacement or HVAC system replacement.
Property Management Costs
If your property management company includes maintenance services, they might charge a separate fee. The extent of necessary services and the size of the property determine the fee amount.
It's common for property management companies to charge flat fees each month. Other companies choose to charge percentage-based fees.
To ensure maintenance and repairs are part of the agreement, read the fine print carefully. Don't sign anything until all of your questions are answered.
Reserve Fund
A property manager who offers maintenance coordination will handle every step of the process. They can respond to tenant complaints, hire contractors, and oversee maintenance and repairs.
A great property manager will also complete routine property inspections to catch any site issues that might arise.
If your property management company doesn't cover maintenance and repair costs, they may ask you to set up a reserve fund. As maintenance and repair responsibilities come up, they will take from the fund to hire repairpeople.
The amount you set aside in a reserve fund will depend on the size of your property and how often maintenance and repairs are conducted.
As tenants pay rent, you can allocate some of that income into the reserve fund to avoid an empty account.
Additional Fees
Some property managers only complete certain maintenance and repair tasks. There might be additional fees for certain services, such as landscaping or deep cleaning.
For example, when tenants move out, your property manager can clean or hire someone to clean the units. This prepares the unit for a new tenant to arrive.
These tasks fall under routine maintenance but might still require specialized fees depending on the management company.
Maintenance Coordination Is Worth It
Even if property managers don't pay for maintenance and repairs, maintenance coordination services are worth the fees. All you have to do is provide the funding and a professional property management company will do the rest.
Our property management team at Round Table Property Management can handle the maintenance process from start to finish.
We will create a system where tenants can make maintenance requests, bring in a team of pros, and check that everything goes smoothly.
Don't let maintenance get you down. Contact us today for all of your property-related needs.
