He hired a company who is most likely licensed and bonded. 

Hire a great management company.

Takeaway: Use your handymen for quick fixes and 1 week projects, but hire a contractor for extensive work, or better yet hire a great management team that will do it for you!

Avoid hiring a "general contractor" that will handle the complete project for you - especially if you never did business with the person before.

Here is a link to a fantastic article written by Brad Dornish, an attorney in Pennsylvania whose main practice is in real estate, titled “Seven Rules on Screening, Hiring and Working With Lawyers”:https://www.dornish.net/blog/2010/05/seven-rules-on-screening-hiring-and-working-with-lawyers/

Should I hire a landlord rep to act on my behalf?

Yes, having an extender, hiring a technician to install the ethernet wire, and moving the router is my last resort here if other options are more expensive.  

Pay the bill and bill the tenant, it is a violation of a standard NC lease for the tenant to hire a contractor to perform a service to the premises without your knowledge or permission.

Even those who hire a cleaning person are not going to pay twice as much for a new COVID protocol.I am not sure I would compare it to the Soviet Union.

Banks don't do them, they hire the licensed guy.