Should Residents Be Allowed to Do Their Own Maintenance?

Should Residents Be Allowed to Do Their Own Maintenance?

Should Residents Be Allowed to Do Their Own Maintenance?

Should Residents Be Allowed to Do Their Own Maintenance?

As an investment property owner, you’ve probably had at least a minor maintenance issue or two at your property.

And once your resident notified you of this minor issue, chances are that you were met with the statement:

“I don’t want to wait for a vendor to come out. Can’t I just repair this myself?”

Well, that depends.

Essentially, the blanket answer is no, but there are exceptions to every rule. 

 

Professional Maintenance of Your Property

When it comes to the maintenance of your property, you want to ensure that you’re utilizing skilled professionals that know what they’re doing. 

If you allow your resident to perform repairs at the property, a couple of less-than-desirable outcomes could occur:

  1. They don’t do the repair correctly, causing you additional maintenance and additional expense
  2. The resident can damage your property if repairs are done improperly 
  3. The resident gets hurt while performing maintenance, which causes a liability to you as an owner

But when using a professional, you have the peace of mind that they can perform skilled work because they’ve been trained in it. 

The cost is a little higher up front, but will ultimately save you money in the long run. 

 

Licensed & Insured Vendors

An important item to note is that you want to ensure that the vendors you work with have appropriate insurance and licensing in their field. 

If the vendor you hire does something wrong, damages property, gets hurt, etc. their insurance will cover it. 

With hiring properly licensed & insured vendors, your liability is greatly reduced in a number of ways.

 

Examples of Maintenance that Residents Should NOT Do:

  • Any major mechanical repairs involving: 
    • Plumbing
    • HVAC
    • Appliance
    • Electrical
  • Roof repairs
  • Flooring/carpet installation
  • Siding or window repairs
  • Gutter clean out
  • Lawn maintenance and snow removal when there are multiple units at a property

This isn’t an exhaustive list of everything that residents shouldn’t do maintenance-wise. 

However, it does serve as a brief summary of some of the most important items that you don’t want to risk a resident handling themselves.

 

Examples of Maintenance that Residents Can/Should Do:

  • Small routine maintenance that would be expected when living in a home
    • Change out a furnace filter
    • Water filter
    • Changing light bulbs
    • Lawn maintenance for a single-family home
      • Cutting grass, trimming trees, shrubs, etc.
    • Snow removal for a single-family home

At times, an item may need to be purchased to aid in small routine maintenance, like a dehumidifier or space heater. 

You can allow the resident to purchase the item, provide you a receipt, and you can reimburse them if there is a need for that specific item (that doesn’t require professional installation).

Any good lease (like ours) covers these topics and puts the responsibility on the resident for these routine service items.

 

Overall…

It’s in your best interest to hire professionals to handle most major maintenance items/repairs at your property. 

Professionals are best when considering liability concerns, properly done maintenance, and long-term care of your property. 

After all, your property is a big asset that you want to protect.

But, with that being said, there are always a few minor things that the resident should be responsible for outlined above. 

The list does not include anything major, but just what would be regularly expected of someone occupying a home.

If you’d like to discuss any of this, please contact us about your specific situation. We’d be happy to walk through your situation and property needs with you!

What To Do When an Evicted Resident Leaves Belongings Behind

What To Do When an Evicted Resident Leaves Belongings Behind

What to Do When an Evicted Resident Leaves Belongings Behind

What to Do When an Evicted Resident Leaves Belongings Behind

Evictions: Unfortunate, But Sometimes Unavoidable

As you may know, evictions are an occasional obstacle that we deal with in property management.

Maybe you’ve dealt with an eviction before as an owner, and maybe you haven’t.

If you haven’t had any experience with evictions, check out our blog post on the timeline of an eviction.

In that post, we detail out the course of the whole eviction process.

But, whether you’ve had to evict a resident before or not, you may have asked yourself the question: 

“What do I do if the resident I evicted leaves their belongings behind in my property?”

While each eviction case is unique, we’ll try to break this part of the process down into the simplest terms.

 

What to Do if the Evicted Resident DOES Contact You 

Chances are, the evicted resident will want at least some of their belongings back.

If that’s the case, the resident has 10 days to contact you and let you know that they’d like to retrieve their belongings.

If they do contact you, you must arrange for them to have access to gather their personal property within 30 days. 

Note: This 30 day period begins the day of the eviction.

Once you’ve confirmed that they’ve retrieved everything they want, you’re legally allowed to do what you see fit with the the items that they leave behind.

 

What to Do if the Evicted Resident Does NOT Contact You

If the evicted resident fails to contact you within the initial 10 days, they forfeit their right to retrieve their belongings. 

After the 10 day period of no contact, you are allowed to do what you see fit with the items they left behind.

However, to be on the safe side, we recommend you hold onto their items for the full 30 day period. 

 

In Simplest Terms: 

 

What to Do When an Evicted Resident Leaves Belongings Behind Eviction occurs → Resident has 10 days to contact you If you are contacted → Resident has 30 days to get their belongings If you are not contacted → After 10 days, you can handle their belongings how you see fit

 

Eviction occurs → Resident has 10 days to contact you

If you are contacted → Resident has 30 days to get their belongings

If you are not contacted → After 10 days, you can handle their belongings how you see fit

 

All in All…

While evictions are not a “fun” part of owning a rental property, they do come with the territory.

The good news is that we can help!

We’ve gained expertise in all aspects of property management, including evictions, over the past 40+ years that we’ve been in business.

Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your unique situation!

Disclaimer: We are not attorneys, and this is not to be considered legal advice. We encourage you to contact your attorney for guidance on your particular situation. This article is meant to provide a general rule or procedure on how this process works.

This is the process as we understand it in Pennsylvania and may not pertain to other states or specific cities within Pennsylvania. We always encourage a consultation with a local attorney who knows and understands Landlord Tenant Law for specific locations.

Arbors Management, Inc. Gains Management Of Valley Stream Apartments in Delmont, PA

Arbors Management, Inc. Gains Management Of Valley Stream Apartments in Delmont, PA

DELMONT, PA – Arbors Management would like to announce the recent management of Valley Stream apartments in Delmont, PA. This is the fourth acquisition of management of a large housing complex for Arbors in 2022 alone; it is clear that business is not slowing down any time soon and the team at Arbors is thrilled to add this property to their portfolio.  

Located in Delmont, PA and originally constructed in 1971, Valley Stream Apartments is a community of 7 buildings consisting of 66 market-rate units and 88 Section 8 units. The property has 112 one-bedroom apartments and 42 two-bedroom apartments, totaling 154 units.

Under new ownership and management, the property will receive nearly 2 million dollars in upgrades over the next twelve months. This will include many updated kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, along with new roofs, asphalt, heating systems, and much more.

Within just a few miles of Valley Stream, you’ll find spots like Pedora Park, Kovalczik Park, and the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. Valley Stream is in Franklin Regional School District and is just minutes from Routes 22 and 66, providing residents with easy access to grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, and more.  

Since 1982, Arbors Management, Inc. has built a portfolio of over 4,000 residential units with a large majority in the affordable housing segment across Western PA and West Virginia, and it continues to grow each year. Everyone at Arbors Management is looking forward to making Valley Stream a fantastic community to call home!

If you’d like to learn more about how Arbors can help you manage your property, please contact us.

Read the article online in the Pittsburgh Business Times here.

Arbors Management, Inc. Gains Management of Towne Towers in Oil City, PA

Arbors Management, Inc. Gains Management of Towne Towers in Oil City, PA

OIL CITY, PA – Arbors Management, Inc. is thrilled to announce the gain in management of Towne Towers, a Project-Based Section 8 apartment building designated for elderly persons located in Oil City, PA. The building consists of 100 one-bedroom apartments and has onsite management and maintenance, onsite laundry facilities, a community room with a full kitchen, a lounge, and mailboxes located in the lobby.

With yet another recent addition to the company’s portfolio, Regional Manager Katie Finnefrock is excited to oversee the building and said, “we look forward to providing excellent service for Towne Towers and its residents by managing with integrity, a culture of excellence, and providing community value.”

Within just a few minutes of the building, you’ll find Family Dollar, the local library, Giant Eagle, CVS, the local post office, YMCA, YWCA, Rite Aid, and plenty more! According to www.oilcity.org, “Oil City’s location along the Allegheny River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains provides excellent opportunities for exploring Northwestern Pennsylvania. The city is also home to multiple historic districts with a plethora of locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places such as the National Transit Building and the Oil City Armory.” With plenty of shopping and beautiful scenery in Oil City, residents of Towne Towers will always have something to do!

Since 1982, Arbors Management, Inc. has built a portfolio of over 4,000 residential units with a large majority in the affordable housing segment across Western PA and West Virginia, and it continues to grow each year. The team at Arbors Management is looking forward to building a lasting relationship with the community at Towne Towers.

Read the article online in the Pittsburgh Business Times here.

If you’d like to learn more about how Arbors can help you manage your property, please contact us.

6 Renter-Friendly DIYs to Make Your Rental Feel More Like Home

6 Renter-Friendly DIYs to Make Your Rental Feel More Like Home

By: Nicole Fandel, Marketing Specialist at Arbors Management

6 Renter Friendly DIY Projects to Make Your Rental Feel More Like Home

There are a lot of perks to renting: you don’t have to worry about home maintenance, you have more flexibility with moving, you’re not tied down by home ownership, etc.

But there are also some downsides to renting – one of them being the feeling that you can’t properly personalize the space or make it your own. 

However, there are ways around this! There are renter friendly DIYs that are temporary, cost-effective, and won’t violate the terms of your lease or upset your landlord.

Here are 6 DIY projects that you can do as a resident to make your rental feel more like home:

 

1. Peel and Stick Backsplash Tile RoomMates Aqua Seaglass Subway Peel and Stick Backsplash Tiles

Does your kitchen need a facelift? Something that is often overlooked but makes a world of a difference is backsplash. 

Sounds permanent though, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be.

Yes, there is such a thing as temporary backsplash, and it can take a rental kitchen to the next level. All you have to do is select your tile, peel, stick, and you’re done!

Take a look at this tutorial to get an idea of what materials you need and how the finished product will look. Trust me, you won’t be sorry you did this project.

 

2. Make a Gallery Wall Create A Gallery Wall In 8 Simple Steps - Photo Wall

Did you know that thousands of famous paintings are considered to be public domain, meaning that you can download high quality files of them for free online?

That’s right, you can find a ton of famous artwork online on websites like this and this and download it all for free, no strings attached. Find a high quality print service in your area, print the artwork at your dimensions of choice, frame, and hang! 

To make things even more personal, why not add some of your own pictures into the mix? Pictures of friends, family, pets, anything that makes home feel like home

 

3. DIY Artwork

Use an old piece of artwork you have or spend an afternoon at your local thrift shop browsing the aisles and see if you can find a cheap canvas that could use a new look. I’ll admit, this project may take a little more creativity than some of the others, but hey – minimalism is definitely in, so you don’t have to go too crazy! 

Personally, using spackle and creating a textured piece is one of my favorite techniques to repurpose a canvas that I’ve seen lately. It’s a little messy, but the end result is totally worth it.

 

4. Revive Old Furniture with Contact Paper

If you’ve been using the same end tables or desks for a number of years now, it’s probably safe to say that they could use a little freshening up.

If you’re not familiar, contact paper is an adhesive, decorative paper that can be applied to a variety of surfaces and comes in an array of different patterns – granite, wood, marble, and more – there are a ton of high quality designs to choose from!

For just a little bit of money and a little bit of time, the results are more than satisfying – take a look at this blog post to learn more about resurfacing with contact paper.

 

5. Refresh Floors with Peel and Stick Tile This image may contain Furniture Table Dining Table Chair Indoors Room and Dining Room

As we all know, everyone has different tastes and design preferences, even when it comes to things like flooring. Trends and styles come and go, but changing up something like flooring isn’t always that simple – but now, it can be!

Peel and stick tiles are a great way to bring new life to an outdated floor without ruining what’s underneath – a.k.a., a great temporary fix for renters looking for a change. 

If you’re looking for some inspiration on what to do, check out this article on how one man changed the entire style of his kitchen with a few hours and some peel and stick floor tiles. 

 

6. Create an Accent Wall with Peel and Stick Wallpaper Freshly hung wallpaper in a room with a small chair and houseplant.

In order to keep things simple and appeal to a range of people, most rental houses/apartments stick with a very basic color scheme on the walls, oftentimes plain white or a very light neutral shade. 

Because of this, it can feel like your space lacks character or individuality. However, there is a solution that doesn’t involve a paint can and an upset landlord: peel and stick wallpaper

Peel and stick wallpaper is available in a ton of different colors and patterns, like regular wallpaper, and can completely change the feeling of a room. With a statement wall like this, both you and your guests will be more than impressed with how personalized your rental home can be.

 

All in All…

When it comes to personalizing a rental home or an apartment, people often feel stuck, limited, or like they are unable to really make a space feel like home without making major, expensive, permanent changes. But as you read above, that certainly is not the case! 

As we discussed above, you can personalize you home as a renter in a variety of different ways:

  1. Peel and stick backsplash tile
  2. Creating a gallery wall with prints of artwork and personal pictures
  3. Creating your own artwork on thrifted canvases
  4. Using contact paper to liven up old furniture
  5. Cover up old flooring with peel and stick tiles
  6. Making an accent wall with peel and stick wallpaper

Even though these changes are temporary, it’s still a good idea to check your lease agreement and with your landlord to ensure that any modifications you make are acceptable. All of these changes are able to be reversed or removed, so make sure you leave your rental the way that you found it once you move out!

All of these projects can be done within a day or two with basic tools and actually are very cost-effective options. So, if you’re looking for fun, inexpensive ways to liven up your rental – you came to the right article. Happy DIY-ing!