As an owner, keeping your property in good condition and keeping your tenants happy is what will safeguard your rental returns. That means staying on top of repairs and corrective maintenance issues needs to be a priority.

But, being kept in the loop with constant communication is the main challenge for 14% of the owners we’ve spoken with, especially if their property manager doesn’t have a streamlined property maintenance plan in place for dealing with repairs. 

We know that the longer it takes for maintenance tasks to get sorted, the more you’re likely to spend (and the higher the chance of your tenants getting fed up and moving elsewhere). 

So, let’s walk you through how we keep everyone up to date during the maintenance process with our streamlined tech, team-based approach and giving owners a dedicated Property Partner. 

Being in the dark about where maintenance and repairs jobs are up to isn’t just frustrating as a landlord, it can cost you serious money, too. 

Take this example: say your tenant reports a leaky tap (which should only cost $60 to fix), but delays in communication mean the tap is left for weeks without repair. Instead, the tap bursts and an emergency plumber is needed to fix it (costing $800 or more depending on the complexity of the repair). 

That’s because a lack of communication can cause simple repairs to drag on for weeks without getting sorted out. In that time, your tenants might feel ignored and start looking elsewhere for a better quality rental. 

Ultimately, delayed repairs can mean a bigger bill to get the problem fixed. Plus, your tenants are likely to start looking elsewhere if their rental’s taps don’t work, their oven seal is broken and their gate lock has rusted off.  

That’s why it pays to have a good property manager who keeps you up-to-date about the status of maintenance jobs every step of the way. And here’s why:

• It keeps your property in top condition: proactive communication means you’ll be alerted as soon as your tenant reports a repairs request so you can act swiftly to get the problem sorted.
  
• It reduces the cost of maintenance: the earlier your property manager catches and acts on potential maintenance issues, the easier (and cheaper) it will be for you to fix them.
  
• It keeps your tenants happy: if your tenant’s repair requests are resolved quickly, they’ll be more likely to report future problems as soon as they crop up. Plus, they’ll be more likely to renew their lease as your rental is being kept in good condition. 

We know how important timely communication is for our tenants and landlords. That’s why we respond to 94% of tenant repair requests within 12 hours. From there, 98% of approved repairs are assigned to a tradie within 24 hours, ensuring every job is sorted out as quickly as possible.

The truth is that maintenance management is a game of time allocation. The sooner you get a repair sorted, the happier your tenants will be and the better off your property will be, too. 

On the flip side, untimely maintenance can leave your tenants feeling disgruntled and ignored and can jeopardise the quality of your rental property, too.

So this might have you wondering, what is a maintenance process?

A maintenance process is a thorough check on the property’s overall health from structural to appliances and wiring. Sometimes it can be as small as inspecting a clogged drain to conducting a property audit before a new tenant moves in.

It can often become a complicated process with a lot of moving parts, leading to miscommunication

We’re focused on keeping everyone in the loop when it comes to the repairs and maintenance process, and here’s how we do it. 

We want to make it easy for you and your tenants to get in touch with us, and not be left wondering ‘what is the maintenance process?’ for your rental property. That’s because the quicker it is for your tenants to report a repairs issue, the faster we can get your rental property back in working order.

We handle all maintenance requests through one single portal: the Tenant App. As soon as your tenant picks up a problem, they can use this mobile app to alert our team to the issue.

Instead of writing clunky emails or waiting to call during office hours, this tech allows tenants to provide a detailed report of the problem (complete with photos and videos) as soon as they spot it to reduce reporting lag time by 70%. 

From here, this is what the maintenance process looks like with :Different:

• Our team will review this request: we’ll use our expert judgment to decide the best way to resolve the problem (and make sure we’re only alerting you to real issues from your tenant’s repairs and maintenance requests).
  
• You’ll receive a notification to review this request: in your Owner App, you’ll be alerted to the details of the repair request and be able to choose how to proceed (whether you want us to book a tradie, fix it yourself or even chat with us about the request further). That also means you can easily approve requests in a tap.
  
• We’ll provide a cost estimate before we book a tradie: to make sure you’re getting a fair price, we’ll give you a cost estimate (based on our bank of data for similar jobs) so you know you’re not paying too much. For example, our historical data shows that 80% of owners pay $156 or less to fix a leaky tap, so we’ll make sure your maintenance bill doesn’t exceed this amount either.
  
• You and your tenants will receive automated status updates: to keep everyone in the loop, you can check the status of your tenant’s repairs and maintenance requests within the app at any time. That means no follow-up emails or time wasted on the phone.
  
• You’ll receive handy alerts if action is needed: to keep your repairs progressing, you’ll be prompted with push notifications if we need you to make any decisions. That ensures we get your property’s maintenance jobs sorted as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

We know that time is money when it comes to property maintenance and repairs. That’s why we use a team-based approach at :Different, which gives you access to a dedicated team of experts to look after your investment property. 

We have a team of maintenance and repairs specialists that know exactly how to get issues sorted quickly and efficiently. When a repairs request is lodged for your property, these specialists jump onto the request and use their expertise to find the best solution for you.

We know that every property is different, which is why our maintenance specialists can help you base your repairs decision on your rental property’s type. That means you’re only spending your rental income on the most important jobs that will boost your property’s appeal and value, too. 

Our expert team makes sure no job slips through the cracks. Using our tech, our team works together to ensure 90% of messages from you or your tenants are answered in under 12 hours. Plus, you always know we’ll be there when you need us (whether that’s during or outside business hours) to make sure we jump onto maintenance and repairs quickly. 

Alongside our team of specialists and smart tech platforms, every owner is assigned their two dedicated Property Partners at :Different, one based in Australia and one based in Sri Lanka. These personal representatives will act as the go-to point of contact to help you navigate those trickier situations (like complex maintenance or repairs requests). 

Each of our Property Partners comes with at least five years’ property experience under their belt. Plus, having partners in two time zones gives you seamless coverage and quick communication (no matter what time of day you need us). 

Whether there’s a dispute over a repair request or you’d like to chat further about your property maintenance plan, your Property Partner will help you navigate those complicated issues quickly and efficiently.

They’ll also work to keep tabs on your current repairs requests to ensure everything is running smoothly. And if you ever need to chat with us, they’ll be your go-to point of contact for everything to do with your rental. 

Let’s say your tenant reports a tricky maintenance issue at 9 pm. Instead of waiting until the next morning to get more information, your Property Partner will jump onto the request that evening and start getting all the details they need to help you make an informed decision.

When you wake up the next morning, they’ll have a clear game plan for you to review and approve, helping to get the problem sorted ASAP.

That means no second-guessing who to get in touch with or taking time out of your day to chase up the status of your maintenance and repairs jobs. 

Being kept in the loop is what will help you lower the cost of maintenance and repairs for your investment property. The sooner you’re alerted to a potential problem, the sooner you can get the problem sorted (and the less it will cost in the long run). By combining tech with a team of maintenance specialists (as well as scoring your own dedicated Property Partner, you’ll be able to nip maintenance issues in the bud and keep your property in top condition for years to come. 

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