November 15, 2023

Preventive Maintenance Checklist for Property Management

Chief Customer Officer - Second Nature

A big part of property management is prevention. Property managers anticipate issues, plan for problems, and execute solutions. For some, a key part of this prevention is to develop a property management preventive maintenance checklist.

For multi-family property managers, a regular preventive maintenance check is standard–and easy. Their properties are often all contained to one apartment building or community, and it’s easy to do a walkthrough to ensure everything is as it should be.

For single-family property managers, it gets a lot more complicated. With scattered-site properties, regular inspections are impractical and expensive. In fact, one of the best ways to approach prevention is to help equip residents to take preventive measures themselves.

At Second Nature, that’s our approach: “How do we make it easy for residents to handle preventive care of the property?” In this article, we’ll explore both approaches to preventive maintenance: Doing inspections as a property manager – or finding solutions where residents support the process.

Let’s dive in.

What is Preventive Maintenance?

Preventive maintenance is a proactive approach to keeping a property in good condition with the purpose of preventing unexpected failures and maximizing longevity.

This type of maintenance encompasses a broad range of activities, from routine inspections (more common in multifamily) to air filter delivery services that keep HVAC systems running smoothly.

By implementing preventive maintenance tactics, property managers aim to prolong the lifespan of property components, maintain property value, and provide a safe, functional, and appealing living environment for residents.

What is a Preventive Maintenance Inspection – and Who Conducts It?

A preventive maintenance inspection is a regularly scheduled, systematic evaluation of a property designed to identify and rectify any emerging issues before they escalate into serious problems.

In other words, a preventive maintenance inspection is like a health check-up for a property. A well-documented inspection also provides a record of maintenance that can be valuable for insurance claims, move-outs, etc.

Generally, SFR property managers find themselves in three different camps when it comes to property inspections:

Those who visit sites only when an issue arises.
Those who conduct scheduled annual preventive inspections, whether there are issues or not.
Those who conduct biannual or seasonal preventive inspections, whether there are issues or not.

In fact, we conducted a casual Facebook poll to see what single-family property managers said about the frequency of their property inspections. Most PMs who responded said they conduct an annual inspection. A smaller amount said they conduct two inspections per year, and another group said they do it only when needed. A very small amount of property managers polled said they conduct quarterly inspections. (To get more community insights and tips like this, join our Triple Win Facebook Group.)

1206097772243567.idUlRwLbhAuyXN917bnD_height640

But there’s also a fourth option: Those who rely on a partner who helps manage prevention for them. There is so much residents can do themselves to prevent larger issues from ever developing – they just need a little support.

For example, if a resident is changing their air filter on time, the property manager is going to get fewer HVAC tickets, and the HVAC system is going to last longer. If you can provide scheduled air filter delivery, residents can stay on top of their filter changes.

Whichever of the camps you fall into, we want to provide you with resources in this article to make preventive maintenance easier.

If you’re the type of property manager who prioritizes regular preventive maintenance inspections, we have a checklist template for you below.
If you’re the type of property manager who prefers to react when issues arise (often more cost-effective), we have some suggestions for how to help residents manage preventive measures on their own.

What to Include in a Preventive Maintenance Checklist

Let’s say you do prioritize regular inspections. Crafting a preventive maintenance checklist for property management is all about anticipating needs and averting potential issues before they arise.

Building your checklist begins with a thorough assessment of the property's unique features and vulnerabilities. By understanding the life cycle of various components of a property across the seasons – from HVAC systems to appliances – you can prioritize tasks and schedule maintenance in a way that minimizes wear and tear.

Your checklist will likely include the following categories:

Structural Maintenance
Electrical Systems
Plumbing & Water Systems
HVAC Systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)
Appliances (if provided)
Lawn & Outdoor Areas
Pest Control
Safety & Security Systems
Interior Checks
Miscellaneous (Garage, waste disposal, etc.)

Sample Preventive Maintenance Checklist for Property Management Companies

With input from OnSightPROS, we’ve built a preventive maintenance checklist template for single-family rental property management companies. Use this template as-is or tweak it to fit your property needs!

If you want a downloadable and more in-depth template for all types of rental inspections, check out our original post on rental inspection checklists and Get the download here.

Structural Maintenance

Roofing: Inspect for leaks, damaged tiles, or shingles. Check gutters and downspouts.
Foundation: Check for cracks, water damage, or shifting.
Walls and ceilings: Look for cracks, dampness, and signs of mold.

Electrical Systems

Safety checks: Ensure that outlets, switches, and wiring are in good condition.
Lighting: Regularly test all indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures.
Inspect circuit breakers and panels.

Plumbing & Water Systems

Drains and pipes: Check for leaks or buildup.
Water heater: Test hot water temperature and pressure relief valves and inspect for signs of wear.
Faucets and fixtures: Ensure proper flow and check for leaks.

HVAC Systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)

Filters: Ensure they are up to date. With Second Nature’s Air Filter Delivery, you’ll have the date stamped right on the filter itself.
Ductwork: Check for mold or leaks.
Seasonal checks: Ensure the heating system is ready for winter and cooling for summer.

Appliances (if provided)

Oven, range, microwave: Check for cleanliness and ensure they are working efficiently.
Refrigerator: Check coils and inspect seals.
Washer and dryer: Inspect hoses and ensure the resident is keeping lint and drainage clean.

Lawn & Outdoor Areas

Landscaping: Ensure that the landscaping is tidy and up to HOA standards, if applicable.
Paths and driveways: Check for cracks or tripping hazards.
Pools: Ensure safety measures are in place.

Pest Control

Notice any signs of pests
With Second Nature’s Property Management Pest Control, you can be sure residents can call a professional immediately if they ever have issues. We handle it for you.

Safety & Security Systems

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Ensure residents have kept up to date and they are installed properly.
Fire extinguishers: Check expiration dates and ensure they're easily accessible.
Emergency exits and paths: Ensure they're clear and well-marked.

Interior Checks

Floors: Look for damaged tiles, caulk problems, carpet wear, or wood floor issues.
Windows and doors: Ensure they open and close smoothly, and check seals.

Miscellaneous

Garage and parking areas: Check for proper lighting, security, and cleanliness.
Waste disposal: Ensure trash bins are clean and in good condition.

The Importance of Preventive Maintenance

Did you know that something as simple as getting air filters delivered on time can reduce HVAC costs by hundreds of dollars annually? More on that in a minute, but it’s clear that for property managers, preventive maintenance isn’t just about keeping the property in good shape—it's a strategic approach that yields all kinds of benefits.

By prioritizing prevention, you can:

Minimize costly repairs: Regular maintenance can prevent small maintenance issues from escalating into expensive emergencies.
Extend asset longevity: Helping residents proactively care for components like HVAC systems extends their lifespan, saving money in the long run.
Enhance resident satisfaction: Supporting a resident in maintaining their property means fewer complaints and issues, leading to higher retention rates.
Ensure safety: Regular checks keep safety hazards at bay, reducing the risk of accidents and liability.
Improve property value: Consistent upkeep maintains or even increases the property's market value.
Stay compliant: Keeping up with building codes and safety regulations is non-negotiable, and preventive maintenance ensures compliance.

By incorporating a preventive maintenance strategy, property managers not only safeguard the property's physical health but also its financial viability and desirability in the market. It's a proactive measure that resonates well with residents and investors alike.

Best Tools to Support Preventive Maintenance

Here’s the big question: How can property managers for single-family homes make preventive maintenance easier?

Scattered-site properties don’t lend themselves to regular inspections. So, the best solution, as we mentioned above, is to help your residents do it themselves.

Here are three of our favorite products to get that done.

Second Nature

We’ve built a Resident Benefits Package with proactive property management in mind. Each feature – from renter’s insurance to on-demand pest control to air filter delivery – aims to address ongoing needs and prevent common issues from escalating.

Let’s take air filter delivery as an example. In the largest HVAC data study of its kind, filter delivery service reduced HVAC ticket requests by 38%

Just by including a filter subscription for your residents, you can help them cut energy costs and ensure your HVAC system lasts for the long term.

Learn more about all of the features of our Resident Benefits Package and how it delivers results for residents, property investors, and property management companies.

RentCheck

RentCheck is a property inspection app built to help residents do inspections on their own. The property manager can request and track routine inspections from the resident.

You can set up any cadence you want and customize the self-guided inspection requirements.

RentCheck will fully automate reminders and support residents in completing a video inspection that then gets sent to you as a shareable report.

zInspector

zInspector is another very popular rental inspection app in the SFR property management space.

Like RentCheck, property managers use zInspector to schedule, customize, and receive inspections conducted by residents themselves. The app also includes a toolkit with an evolving set of property and task management tools.

You can get 360 photos and virtual tours with a compatible 360 camera and printable, customizable inspection reports.

FAQs

Q: What are the benefits of preventive maintenance?

Preventive maintenance offers a multitude of benefits, including:

Cost Savings: It reduces the likelihood of incurring expensive emergency repairs and extends the life expectancy of property assets.
Efficiency: Regular maintenance ensures that all systems and appliances are running at optimal performance, which can lower energy costs.
Tenant Retention: A well-maintained property leads to higher tenant satisfaction, which can decrease turnover rates.
Safety: It helps identify potential safety issues before they become hazardous, promoting a safer living environment.
Value Preservation: Ongoing care maintains and can enhance the property's value over time.
Compliance: Ensures that the property remains in compliance with the latest building codes and safety regulations.

Overall, preventive maintenance is essential for maintaining a property's integrity, ensuring tenant satisfaction, and optimizing operational budgets.

Q: What is included in basic preventive maintenance?

Basic preventive maintenance for property management typically encompasses:

Routine Inspections: Regularly checking the structural integrity of the property, including roofs, walls, and foundations.
HVAC Maintenance: Ensuring heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are clean and functioning properly.
Plumbing Checks: Looking for leaks, clogs, or wear in pipes and fixtures.
Electrical System Audits: Inspecting electrical panels, wires, and safety systems to prevent malfunctions.
Groundskeeping: Checking outdoor areas, including landscaping, gutters, and drainage systems.
Appliance Upkeep: Servicing provided appliances to prevent breakdowns and extend their lifespan.
Safety Inspections: Verifying that all safety equipment, like fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, is in working order.

These tasks are designed to identify and address issues before they develop into more significant problems, helping to ensure the property remains safe, functional, and appealing to tenants.

Q: What’s the ideal schedule for preventive maintenance?

The ideal schedule for preventive maintenance can vary depending on the specific needs of a property, but a general guideline is as follows:

Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly: Regular checks on a weekly to quarterly basis are more common for multifamily properties and apartment buildings, with quick checks on high-usage areas and equipment, such as communal spaces and gardening upkeep. Quarterly maintenance inspections could include more in-depth inspections of HVAC systems, plumbing and electrical systems, and seasonal preparations.
Annually/Seasonally: A small number of SFR property managers will conduct seasonal or semi-annual inspections. A few more conduct annual inspections (unrelated to move-in or move-out, which always includes inspections). These are more in-depth inspections to keep an eye on potential issues.

Topics:

Maintenance Resident Experience Tips & Trends

Keep learning

Six Ways to Make Your Vacancy Stand Out on Zillow

Every property manager wants to minimize days on the market, and a great listing can be a critical component of accomplishing that goal. If you've spent any time looking at real estate listings, whether rentals or not, you've no doubt seen some well-done ones and ones that have five photos, three of which appear to have been taken for the TV show Hoarders. What makes a listing strong? If you're asking this question, you're off to a good start, and you're in the right place. Be thorough but concise Your listing should strike a balance between being thorough and concise, but it’s important to never leave out critical information that could lead to a negative experience down the road. First and foremost are any upfront fees, then things like pet rules, HOA considerations, and other relevancies that you don’t want a prospective resident to learn about later after they’re further into the process. Be concise about these so your property description doesn’t become too long, but be sure to include what a renter needs to know regarding costs in the application and move-in process. Take quality photos Photos are the golden goose when it comes to property listings. Quality, considerate photography will create stronger first impressions from potential renters. Fortunately, getting quality photos isn’t super difficult, it just takes some planning and forethought. You don’t need to stage your property. In fact, many property managers outright recommend against it. Photos of vacant, clean rooms are usually the way to go. They allow prospective renters to view their stuff and their layout in the photos, which can make them feel less like they’re looking at someone else’s home. Vacant rooms also tend to look bigger, and low angles with wide-angle lenses can add to this effect while showing the whole room. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Never post pictures with boxes, garbage around, open toilet seats in the bathroom, or anything that just doesn’t look inviting. Always open blinds and include window views from rooms when possible. You don’t need to hire professionals for these processes, but it can be worth investing in a quality camera to take nice photos. Again, this will be the first impression a renter has of your property. They’re not going to look twice if it looks small and uninviting. Don’t overdo the property description Be thoughtful of what goes into a property description and how you organize it. These things can get long, and if you’re a property manager, you’re keenly aware of the general public’s lack of interest in reading. A short, one-to-two-sentence description of the property will do for an opener, and you can follow that with bulleted lists of the property’s amenities. Lists are easily consumable and where the eyes of the reader will go first if they’ve decided to skim the description instead of reading through it. In addition to the features of the home, be sure to include nearby amenities in the listing. In single-family property management, schools and school districts tend to be important. Beyond that, nearby shopping areas, outdoor spaces and parks, and distance to highway access are things that property managers have found matter to prospective residents. Don’t list the property until it is move-in ready This is an easy one to check off, but making sure a home is fully ready for a resident before it gets listed is an advantageous process for property managers. You may be tempted to list it as fast as possible, but this has risks, and the theoretical shortening of time-to-revenue may end up backfiring if a great resident moves on because the home wasn't ready when they were. Renters aren’t always proactive. They tend to be looking for properties closer to their actual desired move date than maybe they should be. Listing a property before it’s move-in ready is a great way to create a negative experience if a quality resident seeks it out and it’s not ready when they want to move in. Include a floor plan Employing a third party to create floor plan drawings isn’t a super expensive or difficult undertaking, and it’s worth your while. A floor plan helps a renter understand how the house as a whole is set up, how they might use the space, and how their stuff fits in the home. There is inexpensive software that makes this process easy, or if you’re like most property managers and crunched for time, there are third parties available. This goes back to the idea of being thorough and clear in your listing. You don’t need 100 photos of the home, but you want to tell the whole story of the house as concisely as possible. A floor plan can help you do that. Think outside the box Ask yourself how you can make your listing unique. Checking all the boxes that make a quality listing is step one, but once you’re comfortable with that, you can ask yourself how to be a little bit different and stand out in the sea of property listings. While not a property manager, Trent Miller has developed a viral video series that blends content marketing with property listing strategies. He calls it the speed tour, and it is exactly what it sounds like. @trent_miller__ It's Time For Another SPEED TOUR‼️💨 Thank you guys for all the love and support!! More videos coming soon! Looking To Buy Or Sell Real Estate?? DM ME‼️🏡 ~Price Is Estimated Down Payment~ #realestate #homesforsale #RealEstate #HomeForSale #RealtorLife #DreamHome #Property #HouseHunting #NewListing #ForSale #HomeSweetHome #InvestmentProperty #OpenHouse #LuxuryLiving #HomeBuyer #HomeDecor #HouseGoals #BuyersMarket #SellingHomes #Homeownership #RealEstateAgent #speedtour ♬ original sound - trent_miller__ Garcia Property Management adds colorful overlays to the cover photos for their listings. They don't do this for every photo, so they're still following general best practices for their photo sets for each property, but also trying to stand out within the listings thanks to some color.

August 23, 2024

Read more

Three Property Management Companies that are Winning on Social Media

How would you say your social media marketing is performing? As a constantly changing medium beholden to trends that can peak and die in a heartbeat, it can be a tough area to win. Truthfully though, it's underused in the property management space. Content creation for social media doesn't have to be super intense, and it doesn't have to be super polished. It just has to have intent and understanding of who you're marketing to. If you're looking to develop a more robust social media program for your PMC, you're in the right place. Here we break down three companies with three distinct strategies, all of which are unique in the PM space. These companies are crushing it, and learning from their successes can help you develop a strategy that works for you. Home Ladder Home Ladder’s “Chaos and Disorder” video series is a hit and a great example of creativity that can sometimes be lacking in property management marketing. Co-founders Travis Bohling and Brandon Graham are among the most creative content marketers in the property management space. While they may be relatively new to the content side of things (Chaos and Disorder is less than a year old), they've hit the ground running with a unique video series that's both relevant and genuinely entertaining in addition to leaning hard into Facebook reels. Short video content has been trending up in social media marketing since the rise of TikTok, although it's not heavily used in the SFR property management space. Home Ladder has taken this on with sets of short, straight-to-the-point thought-leadership content. The Chaos and Disorder video series is really fun, though. Home Ladder is starting to spearhead a creative approach to content marketing that the industry could really use more of. The idea here is really to engage the inability of self-managers to be effective tenant screeners, and they've told this story with two destructive characters affably named Chaos and Disorder. A constant battle in professional property management is trying to keep ahead of the self-managing landlord as self-management tech expands their capacity. Home Ladder is keyed in on that messaging here as a play to position their professional services as more reliable and thorough, and they've done it in a way that's genuinely entertaining and relatable to anyone who has ever had a bad tenant, which is anyone who has ever managed a property. RL Property Management RL Property Management CEO Peter Lohmann is crushing it on Twitter. Executives being active in the content creation space can be a big win for companies, and RL Property Management’s Peter Lohmann is a prime example. While this is a popular LinkedIn approach, Lohmann is one of very few who has taken ownership of the property management discussion on Twitter. A tougher nut to crack than Facebook and LinkedIn, Lohmann has found success and amassed over 21,000 followers via a content strategy that seamlessly blends an authentic connection to the property management space with expertise Lohmann has acquired over years in the industry. The word relatability gets thrown around a lot when it comes to any kind of content-based marketing, but being relatable isn’t a goal so much as a strategy. The power of relatability is that it establishes trust, a challenging thing to create in many online spaces. If you can establish a familiarity with what affects the people you’re speaking to on a daily basis, that establishes a trust that helps build interest in what you have to say. Lohmann’s 21K follower count didn’t come purely from expository property management tips. There's a relatability to his content that helps create that trust, which adds value to his thought-leadership content. He’s naturally an authentic person and a master communicator, and while the expertise is valuable, that lies downstream of a personal connection to other industry professionals. Property management in a nutshell: Owners with 40 units: "call me if it burns down" Owners with 1 duplex: "why did you pay $45 to cut grass? My guy only charges $30 please call me asap" — Peter Lohmann (@pslohmann) March 11, 2024 When Lohmann does get into thought-leadership content, he's an open book, which also helps establish trust. Lohmann, like many leading property managers, believes that propelling the whole industry forward is more important than holding any kind of trade secrets. He does not shy away from granular details of his company, including sharing the what and why of his entire tech stack. Cheat code for starting & growing a property management business. This is a complete list of our software stack. This is how the magic happens & how we can calmly and effectively manage ~600 units. pic.twitter.com/aTHYAp9MwH — Peter Lohmann (@pslohmann) December 23, 2021 Grace Property Management Marc Cunningham is the YouTube king. Cunningham has been in property management for over 30 years, and his YouTube strategy is arguably the best in the game. The CEO of Grace Property Management is approaching 5,000 YouTube subscribers. Part of the value of Cunningham's channel is that you know exactly what you're going to get when you go there. His content is built with a very consistent format and length. He has over 100 videos, almost all of which are between five and ten minutes long, and address a very specific issue or question in single-family property management. Cunningham's approach is expert-forward, demonstrating that there is more than one way to win in social media and property management marketing. He provides a combination of content that addresses specific questions and issues in the PM space and offers windows into his own operations and the decisions he's made. His channel's most popular videos, often having thousands of views, cover management topics like how to explain a rent increase to a resident and why you should never charge a pet deposit as well as industry trends like average rent trends and predictions for the coming years. Because YouTube content is indexed by Google, Cunningham's strategy is built more around capturing search engine traffic than the above two strategies. It's self-sustaining to a degree now because of the size of Cunningham's following, but YouTube is an excellent way to capture search traffic, something Cunningham has leveraged well.

August 15, 2024

Read more

Receive articles straight to your inbox

Deliver the ultimate resident experience

Our Resident Benefits Package gives residents everything they want without all the work.

Get a demo