Re: repair clause - Landlord Forum thread

Re: repair clause by Abdon on March 28, 2012 @20:11

This is the thing: some tennants are used to renting apartments at a complex, where just about everything short of a light bulb is handled by a handyman: One of the ranges on the stove stop working, call the front office. Drain clogged, front office. Key doesn't work so well, front office.

I'm guessing this is not on an apartment complex but either a condo or a SFH. Basically you have to make sure they understand this, so their expectations are set at the right level. More often than not they are used to the apartment way, and feel that it is unreasonable for you not to come over and fix the heating element on the stove ($20 for a new element at the hardware store).

The way I play it is that they understand that it is their responsibility, but I keep an eye on the things that will damage the house. For example, they may be responsible to remove leaves from the gutters and keep the smoke alarms working but as part of the late fall checkup I send somebody to do an inspection and to take care of these things as well.

Sometimes those clauses are good to cover your ass but you have to make judgement calls.

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