With lots of flats, something is always breaking. What matters is how fast it gets fixed, and how much chasing it takes. Tenant satisfaction, the owner's trust and your own time all depend on it.
Your own list of tradespeople
Have a reliable person for every main area: plumbing, electrics, gas, locks and household appliances. Keep their contact details and hourly rates too.
A list like this builds up over a few years. What helps:
- Two for every area. If one is busy, you don't have to start from scratch.
- Do they issue invoices? You need them for itemised cost settlements and owner reports.
- How quickly can they come out? A cheap plumber who turns up a week later costs more than a slightly pricier one who comes the same day.
- Note down your experience. Who was punctual, who cleaned up after themselves, who you had a dispute with.
- Gas work only by a licensed professional. Only a licensed fitter may repair gas appliances.
Beyond the main areas, it's worth having a cleaner, a painter, a carpenter and an air-conditioning technician on the list. They're the ones you need fastest at a tenant changeover.
The process
- The tenant reports the problem with a photo.
- You check whether it's urgent and who is responsible for the repair.
- You ask for a quote if the cost isn't small.
- You approve it and arrange a time with the tenant.
- When it's closed, a photo and the invoice go into the flat's file.
Forwarding to the tradesperson
Most of the time goes on phone calls: you describe the problem, the address, the tenant's number, then wait for them to get in touch. It's faster if the tradesperson gets everything in writing, in one place:
- The description of the problem and the tenant's photos, so they know what to bring.
- The address and your message, for example where the key is.
- A clear answer: they take the job or not, and if not, why. If they're not available, it can go straight to the next name.
- Feedback at the end: is it done, or what got stuck, ideally with a photo of the finished work.
Only the person who takes the job gets the tenant's name and phone number. That way it doesn't end up in strangers' hands unnecessarily.
Urgency levels
Not every problem is equally urgent. A simple three-level system helps:
- Immediate: burst pipe, smell of gas, power cut in the flat, front door that won't lock. You act the same day.
- Within a few days: no heating or hot water, an unusable kitchen appliance, a drip.
- Can be scheduled: minor faults that don't stop the flat being used.
Tell the tenant up front how long they can expect to wait at each level. If they know when the tradesperson is coming, they're much more patient.
Who pays for the repair?
If the tenant caused the damage, they bear the cost of the repair. If it comes from the condition of the flat, the owner does. In borderline cases, the move-in handover report helps decide what was already there.
Spending limit
Agree with the owner up to what amount you can decide on your own. Put it in the management agreement too.
Without a limit, you have to call for every small repair, and the owner feels constantly bothered. With a limit that's too high, they may get unpleasant surprises. A good limit lets you handle most repairs on your own, while the owner knows about the bigger ones in advance.
Prevention
A yearly boiler and chimney check, and regular flat inspections. Anything you catch early is cheaper.
A yearly maintenance calendar:
- Autumn: boiler and chimney check, bleeding radiators before the heating season.
- Winter: sealing windows and doors, watching for mould.
- Spring: cleaning the air conditioning, checking the balcony and drains.
- Summer: flat inspection, small repairs, painting at tenant changeover.
During a flat inspection, you walk through and photograph the flat and see what's worn out and what needs replacing. It's not checking up on the tenant, it's keeping track of the flat's condition. Arrange it in advance and give the tenant notice in good time.
If bigger work might be due between two tenants, this article helps you decide what's worth doing.
The numbers
Track how much you spend on repairs per flat each year. If one flat has a striking number of problems, a bigger renovation may be cheaper than constant patching up. It's also an important figure in the owner report.
FAQ
How quickly does a problem have to be fixed?
The law doesn't set an exact deadline, but a defect that prevents normal use of the flat has to be remedied within a reasonable time. A quick response also matters for keeping the tenant.
Can the tenant call their own tradesperson?
Yes, if they agree it with you first. Without that, getting the cost reimbursed can be disputed.
What if the tenant won't let anyone in?
Arrange a time in writing, with reasonable advance notice. It's worth stating in the contract that, after prior arrangement, the tenant lets the tradesperson in for repairs and flat inspections.
Rentkey
In Rentkey, your Suppliers are in one list, with their trade, tax number and how they invoice. You track maintenance tickets on a board, and from the Operator plan you forward them to the tradesperson with one click. They get a link by email, accept the job without logging in, and report back with a photo when it's done; every step shows on the ticket. You do flat inspections on your phone, with photos.
