Enforcing Maintenance Deductibles

[Steve Rozenberg]

Do you ALWAYS enforce the maintenance deductible?

[Marcia Maynard]

We don't charge a maintenance deductible. Instead we do regular maintenance inspections of our properties and tend to issues as they occur or as we discover them. If a tenant causes damage, or causes something to fail because of their negligence, we hold the tenant accountable for the cost of repair/replacement. If a tenant fails to tell us about something that needs attention and it results in more damage, the tenant pays for the additional damage. 

We do not allow our tenants to alter our properties or do their own handyman work. We also see a service call as an opportunity to connect with the tenant, improve our customer relations and find out about other things the tenant may not have shared with us. When we are at the property, the tenants seem to find it easier to open up about what is on their mind, including their satisfaction or frustration with the property or our service.