Are you a landlord or landlady in Salt Lake City, Utah? Have you considered hiring a property management company? Their services help shoulder the responsibility of your investment property.
But not all of them are equal. If you want one with all the bells and whistles, like property maintenance, you need to understand the difference in services. Not every property management company comes with a contractor that handles regular maintenance.
This article discusses the difference between property management and property maintenance. It'll explain how you can ensure you get the most out of these two essential services.
Scroll down to learn more!
Property Management
A property management company covers every aspect of your rental property. They operate as the arms and legs of your business by handling accounts, vacancies, and legal help. The most common responsibilities of a property management company are:
Marketing
Jazz up your real estate portfolio by learning how to create an effective listing. A property management marketing team will schedule open houses and advertise your properties for you.
Tenant Screening
Finding tenants is an arduous process. A property management company alleviates the stress by handling it for you. They perform the tenant screening, which includes credit and background checks.
The process will also check for prior evictions and a tenants criminal history to ensure you get someone reliable.
Rent Collection and Evictions
A property management company acts as your accountant. They collect rent and distribute fees. Plus, they’ll handle the eviction process with you.
Property Maintenance
Maintaining the look and structure of your rental property is crucial. You need to perform regular maintenance to ensure the home's survival. The primary responsibilities of property maintenance are:
Lawn Care
Scheduling regular mowing, weed removal, and gardening will keep the property in shape. In the winter, Salt Lake City averages 54 inches of snow a year. You'll need to schedule snow and ice removal.
Plumbing
You are bound to experience a plumbing problem in your investment property. Whether it’s a clogged drain, leaky pipe, or sewage backup, your tenants will look to the landlord to help fix it.
Other Requests
Faulty appliances, pest control, and other repairs fall under property maintenance. As the landlord, you can choose to handle the repairs yourself or hire a professional. But the responsibility is on you (unless stated otherwise in the lease).
The Best of Both Worlds
A full-service property management company will handle everything listed above. They will also have separate contractors that take care of the property maintenance. After the tenant makes a request, the property manager will contact the contractor to schedule the repair.
Then they’ll update the landlord on the cost and the repairs. When searching for a property management company, ask if their services include maintenance.
Bundle Your Property Management Services with Property Maintenance
Wolfnest Property Management is here to help manage your rental property. Our full-service company includes tenant placement, multi-family management, and maintenance. We take the stress out of managing an investment property!
Contact us today for more information on how we can help manage your property!
