There can be many downsides to renting, but one of the major upsides is that, if something goes wrong, it’s usually your property manager who will be responsible for resolving it. This means that if a pipe bursts, this isn’t something you need to spend time or money resolving. There are many occasions when your property manager should be your first port of call if you’re experiencing problems – and some might surprise you! Below, we’re going to look at exactly what your property manager is responsible for and why it’s so important to get in touch with them should a problem arise in your property.
What Your Property Manager Does
So, you know your property manager exists, but what does he or she do? What are they responsible for? Here’s what falls within their remit:
- Repairs and maintenance issues
- Emergency repairs
- Safety concerns
- Disaster preparedness
- Fire safety
- Accident prevention
- Providing advice to residents on issues such as nuisance and noise complaints
- Managing move-ins and outs
- Exterior repairs
- Maintaining shared spaces
So as you can see, your property manager can deal with many of the issues you may experience in your home, from noise nuisance from your neighbors to a flooded bathroom.
When to Get in Touch with Your Property Manager?
Obviously, if there’s a serious emergency, residents should contact emergency services and evacuate the building. However, should something happen that could cause significant damage to the building or personal property (such as a structural accident or a burst pipe), the property manager should be contacted immediately. Similarly, if an occurrence with the potential to cause major inconvenience to residents (like the heating or water cutting out), the property manager is your first port of call.
With Los Angeles having seen a marked increase in extreme weather over the last few years, it’s important to know that, should a storm damage the roof of your apartment building, the property manager is the person to advise.
What are the Benefits of Contacting Your Property Manager When Something Goes Wrong?
When something goes wrong with your property, your property manager is usually the first person you should call. While it may be tempting to try to resolve an issue, such as a burst pipe, yourself, doing so could not only make things worse but even be dangerous. Your property manager has the knowledge, experience, know-how, and contacts to get things resolved as quickly as possible. You may even be liable for expenses should you go ahead and undertake an unauthorized repair.
Plus, don’t forget that part of the money you pay as a tenant goes towards the cost of property management, meaning that this service is something you’re entitled to. So, if something goes wrong, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the property manager.
Who Else Do I Need to Contact if Something Goes Wrong?
Once you’ve contacted either the emergency services or the property manager (depending on the issue) and things have calmed down, it’s time to get in touch with your renters insurance provider. Renters insurance in Los Angeles typically covers your possessions against damages – such as furniture damaged by a burst pipe – as well as your expenses should you have to temporarily live elsewhere due to a covered disaster.
As well as this, renters insurance usually provides liability coverage should a visitor to your home suffer an accident or injury, and protects you if someone on your policy causes damage to someone else’s property or possessions.
What’s the Difference Between Homeowners Associations and Property Management?
While there are many similarities between a homeowners association (HOA) and a property manager or management company, there are some important differences – although often they work together. Generally speaking, an HOA is made up of volunteers who aim to promote the well-being of the community, while a property management firm is a privately owned company that often works to ensure the everyday obligations of the HOA are being carried out properly and effectively.
What does this look like on the ground? Where an HOA and a property management company work together, the HOA may identify works that need completing to benefit the community, and the property manager will be responsible for hiring the contractors and overseeing this work.
Making the Most of Your Property Manager
It may be tempting to try to resolve things yourself should something go wrong with your property, but in many cases, it’s actually the responsibility of the property manager to get things sorted out. And if you’re not sure, it’s worth contacting the property manager to find out.
As well as ensuring that the repair will be completed properly and professionally, bringing your property manager on board also means you’re making the most of your rental payments, which cover this service.
