My Idea for HVAC Filter Changes with Tenants. Will it work?

[Allan Smith]

I now know that tenants will not change air filters in their heating and cooling system. From reading the forums, I gather that most landlords here change the filters themselves because clearly you cannot depend on the tenant to protect your $4k investment.

The problem with this model is the time spent driving to the rental to do the swap. I sure as heck don't want to spend one day a month driving all over town replacing filters, and I don't want to pay somebody to do it either. There's got to be a better way!

My idea is to put in the lease that the there is a $25 charge every three months for air filter replacement. It will state this charge can be waived if the tenant uses one of our provided filters to change them self and text or email me a picture of the new one by the 1st of the month that quarter. Think it will work?

[Michael Jones]

I completely agree with Eddie above @Eddie T.

I change filters every two months and check fire alarms every two months. and I stagger these so they are on different months so I am inside each unit every month. This allows me to see the inside of each unit every 30 days which i consider to be a tremendous value.

Now, I do understand that I am local so this is doable for me.

With your idea above, I think you will need to build in an incentive that will work for them. i would go with supplying a years worth of filters and have them placed inside the cabinet area where the furnace is located. Then I would offer a reduction of rent by say"20.00" that month if they will change the filter and supply you a video of the filter change taking place.

So rent is $750.00 they can pay $730.00 if they have sent you the video through email or text.

I would also send them out a reminder on each filter changing month letting them know it is filter month and that they can save $20.00 and I would also send an instruction video of how to change the filter with the reminder.

Do you wonder how many tenants will put the filter in with the arrow going the wrong way? Do you know how many people do not even know there is an arrow?