Repairing Versus Maintaining Property
Leaky roofs, damaged stair treads, malfunctioning furnaces and water heaters, broken entry locks and windows, and frozen pipes all need to be fixed. If you don't repair them your unit is not habitable, and possibly not safe. You also might be cited with violating local and state building codes if you don't arrange to do the work within twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
Compare that to leaky faucets and running toilets. They also have to be repaired, but you can delay putting in new washers or a rubber seal for a bit. It's necessary to do the job, but it's not an emergency. No one can be hurt.
You can't avoid doing maintenance and repairs. Make your job easier — and your time more efficient — by purchasing the tools you'll need and a quantity of washers, light bulbs, and other supplies well in advance. Then you won't have to run to the store every time you have to replace something.
In most states landlords have a legal obligation to maintain their property after the tenant moves in so that it continues to comply with state and local housing codes. This means that the landlord must make any repairs that are not the fault of a tenant. The landlord also is obligated to maintain the building, grounds, appliances, utilities, and anything else you and your tenant agreed to in the lease.
Maintenance Is Essential
As a landlord, maintaining the property — the dwelling, appliances, equipment, and utilities — is an important part of your job. Peeling paint, dirty hallways, greasy stoves, worn carpets — they need tending to. If you want to attract the kind of tenant you'd like to have in your home, you should provide a clean, livable apartment. Cleaning up and maintaining the unit, while desired and appreciated by most tenants, benefits you, too. If your unit and home look good, you'll be able to charge more for rent. Chapter 17 includes more information on property maintenance.
How quickly do I need to repair things for my tenant?
When your tenant calls about minor repairs, you may not be required to respond immediately. But if you want a happy tenant who will renew the lease, you'll be wise to take care of it quickly. A week or so is reasonable; just don't put it off for a month.
Your Responsibilities as Landlord
You are responsible, by code, for anything that affects the habitability and safety of your unit. In Michigan, for example, if a tenant is injured on your property and the condition that caused the injury, such as an unsafe stair, existed before the accident, you can be determined liable for personal injury.
A gas leak, flooding, or major structural damage is considered an emergency and a threat to health and safety. It must be repaired, usually within twenty-four hours.
Defective water heaters, clogged drains, or problems with an air conditioner affect the quality of your tenant's life, but don't pose immediate danger. These problems don't have to be fixed right away, but you should plan on repairing them within a couple of days. Do not go any longer than that. You can take care of minor repairs — such as leaking faucets or a light fixture that doesn't work — as your schedule permits.
