Dear Maintenance Men:

Dear Maintenance Men:
I’m getting a lot of false positives when it comes to maintenance requests. For example, the resident calls in with a maintenance issue or emergency, and management calls out the appropriate trade to deal with the issue. Oftentimes, it is not 1: an emergency or 2: it is not even in the same category. I.e.: the resident calls in for a plumbing issue, but the problem is actually electrical. It does not happen often, but often enough to notice.
Josh

Josh:
Part of the problem is not asking enough questions or the right questions when a resident calls in a maintenance issue. We find residents might exaggerate an issue or substitute a bigger emergency with a lessor issue just to get management to send out a technician faster.

When on the phone with the resident, always try to pin down the details of the issue. If it is plumbing; ask what room the plumbing issue is in, which fixture, whether the problem is a drain stoppage or cold/hot water issue. If it is a drain issue, ask if it is in the kitchen, is it the garbage disposer side or clear drain or both. If it is in the bathroom; determine which drain. bathtub/shower, sink or toilet. If it is a hot or cold water issue, again ask which room has an issue, such as kitchen, bath, laundry or water coming up through the slab. Is the water gushing or dripping. A similar set of questions can be asked if the issue is electrical, such as which room. Is the problem with the switch or the receptacle. Also ask if they have tried to reset the breaker. (A breaker issue might be a bad breaker or too many appliances plugged into one outlet.)

The more questions you ask, the more precise the information. This allows you to make better decisions as to who will be called to deal with the maintenance issue. Armed with this up-to-date knowledge, will help determine if you call the in-house maintenance tech or a professional outside contractor.

Dear Maintenance Men:

Everything seemed to be going fine at my building. I had not gotten a maintenance call in months and months. By chance I stopped by the building and was horrified to find several unreported leaks and other damage. It is going to cost me several times more to repair the damage than it would have to do the initial repairs in the first place. Do you have any advice on preventing this from happening in the future?
Bill

Bill:
Inspection, prevention and routine maintenance are the most economical maintenance procedures that can be applied at one’s property. Frequent inspections of the interior and exterior of the property are a must. To start, give your residents an easy way to report maintenance issues and as you collect rent, talk to the residents and ask about maintenance problems.

Set up an inspection calendar. As an example:

1. Once a month, drive by the property; look for anything out of the ordinary.
Check the roof for tree branches, the grounds for broken sprinklers etc. Talk to
the residents. Compare house water and electric bills from the previous months. A
big difference in a bill will warrant further investigation.
2. Once a quarter, walk the property, check the laundry room, and turn on the
sprinklers. Check the garages and carport areas. Talk to the residents.
3. Every six months to a year, set up an internal walkthrough of each unit. Check all
faucets, drains, heaters and air conditioners. Open and close drawers, closets and

windows. Check the smoke alarm. Be sure to take notes on each inspection.
Reviewing old notes will help you determine wear and tear from possible tenant
abuse.
4. As a preventive maintenance procedure, once a year hydro jet or snake out your
main drains.

During the different inspections, you may want to invite trade contractors such as a roofer to inspect the roof, or an HVAC company to inspect the heating & air conditioning. Many times, the trade contractors may offer the inspection as a free service. This will allow you to budget and prioritize your approach to the repairs. Using skilled trades’ people, you can cover more areas in less time and your chances of missing something will be reduced. By using a calendar & reviewing your notes before each inspection, you will develop a systematic approach to your building maintenance and avoid surprises. These simple measures will save you thousands in the long run and remember, preventive maintenance will help reduce costly emergency repairs.

Dear Maintenance Men:
I am a new maintenance technician, and I have just been hired at a large apartment complex. I am not the only maintenance tech, so, I want to stand out to my supervisors. I don’t want to be low man on the totem pole for long. What do you suggest I do to be noticed as an outstanding maintenance technician?
Tomas

Dear Tomas:
Ninety percent of a job is showing up! Of course that is not enough, so here are a few suggestions. After showing up on time every day, make sure you are presentable every day. Low man on the totem pole often gets the worse jobs; don’t complain, do them, do them fast and do them right and let your supervisor know when you are done. The phrase “It’s not my job” does not exist in your vocabulary! While walking around the property and you see trash in the bushes: stop and pick it up; every time. If you have special skills, don’t keep them a secret. Always be polite to the residents, even if they are not. Keep your jobsite clean. If you must leave a resident’s unit to get parts, clean up before you go. Never leave a unit with the resident wondering if you will ever come back to finish that job. Communicate with both the resident and your supervisor. This will cut down on complaints from both sides. Do not eat, drink, smoke or socialize with a resident, they are not your friends. Your job depends on it. Lastly, take your job seriously, put your heart and soul into the job, it will be noticed, and you won’t be low man on the totem pole for long.

Written by Jerry L’Ecuyer & Frank Alvarez

Frank Alvarez is licensed contractor and the Operations Director and co-owner of Buffalo Maintenance, Inc. He has been involved with apartment maintenance & construction for over 30 years. Frankie is President of the Apartment Association of Orange County and a lecturer, educational instructor and Chair of the Education Committee of the AAOC.  He is also Chairman of the Product Service Counsel.  Frank can be reached at (714) 956-8371 Frankie@BuffaloMaintenance.com For more info please go to:  www.BuffaloMaintenance.com
Jerry L’Ecuyer is a real estate broker. He is currently a Director Emeritus and Past President of the Apartment Association of Orange County and past Chairman of the association’s Education Committee.  Jerry has been involved with apartments as a professional since 1988.