South Carolina has a high rental vacancy rate compared with the national average of 6%, so landlords must be at the top of their game to attract and retain tenants.
Maintenance coordination is an effective measure for keeping your properties appealing and encouraging lease renewals. It is also one of the most time-consuming and costly aspects of being a landlord.
Hiring a property manager can help you simplify these tasks. Read on to find out about the role of property managers regarding property maintenance.
What Do Property Management Fees Include?
When you sign up with a full-service Greenville property management company, you enjoy a host of convenient value-adding services. These usually include:
- Rental analysis
- Property marketing
- Tenant screening
- Property inspections
- Lease origination and negotiations
Often, these conveniences include eviction protection programs and assistance with tax preparation, too.
Although property management services can help you save on rental maintenance costs, the fee doesn't include the cost of maintenance work. It does include maintenance coordination.
What Is Maintenance Coordination?
In South Carolina, landlords must ensure their properties remain in a safe and habitable condition. To do this, they must carry out numerous routine and seasonal tasks, such as:
- Roof inspections
- HVAC servicing
- Gutter cleaning
- Pest prevention measures
- Safety equipment inspections
Property managers help landlords meet these obligations by setting up a schedule of routine maintenance tasks. This helps with budgeting and helps prevent unnecessary breakdowns and repairs.
They carry out regular property inspections to check for any problems and arrange necessary repairs. During these visits, they work according to a checklist that includes things like:
- Plumbing systems
- Electrical and lighting systems
- Door and window leaks
- Signs of pests
- Testing safety equipment
This helps prevent small issues from escalating into large, costly repairs and replacements.
A property manager can also arrange for small maintenance tasks to take place during these visits. These include replacing the batteries on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors or replacing HVAC filters.
Tenant responsibilities are limited and mainly revolve around keeping the property clean. Landlords can request that their tenants perform some rental maintenance tasks, like lawn care, as long as this is clearly stated in the lease agreement.
Who Pays for Property Maintenance?
The property owner covers all maintenance fees related to their property, and it's best to set up a fund for this purpose. The property manager may pay some maintenance bills upfront and then bill the landlord afterward.
Tenants only pay for maintenance or property damage beyond reasonable wear and tear or if they caused the issue.
Make the Most of Your Greenville Investment Properties
Regular property inspections and maintenance coordination help preserve the value of your property, ensure legal compliance, and foster good tenant relations. So it's worth hiring a property manager, even though their fees don't include property maintenance costs.
PMI Upstate SC can assist you with a full range of property management services to help you profit from your investments. We offer property marketing, maintenance coordination, and property inspections.
Discover the benefits of working with our expert team today.
