Do you keep a 'maintenance' log? And a place for tenants to submit requests online?

[Claudia Schmidt]

1) Do you keep a maintenance log where tenants can submit their requests? If so, what do you use or how do you do it? I was thinking of creating a 'form' by Google Docs and in the move-in inventory check-list mention that any requests can be submitted at www.linkhere.com.

2) If you send the plumber let's say to do some repairs, do you get the tenant to sign-off on the spot before the plumber leaves that it's been satisfactorily repaired? Or do you have them simply sign-off when they come in to pay the next rent?

3) If you bill the tenant for repairs, do you get them to pay the next time they come in to pay the rent? Or do you discount it from the security deposit at the end of their contract?

I'm trying to find the best way to manage this, as I recently had a tenant that I made repairs for, but then she was trying to claim I didn't do them satisfactorily so she didn't have to pay.

Thanks in advance for any help and guidance.