Sometimes there are tenants who submit work orders for everything and then there are tenants who submit them just before moving out to avoid billing. We want to help find a comfortable middle ground to be as minimally invasive as possible in your personal space while also being as responsive as possible for other work order requests.
Keep maintenance out of your apartment with prevention
The best way to keep maintenance out of your apartment is by being proactive. Most problems tenants bring to our office can be remedied by proper care and usage of their apartment.
Here are our 4 ways to keep maintenance out of your apartment:
Clean your appliances after every use to keep them clean of grease, which can cause fires and shorts in the delicate electronics of the appliance.
Garbage disposals are the most abused equipment in our apartments. Most of your food waste should be put in the trash and not down the drain. NEVER PUT GREASE DOWN YOUR DISPOSAL. If, however, your kitchen drains are backing up, call our office immediately.
Read best practices on how to use the fixtures we provide.
Drains should be cleared of hair by tenants as well by mechanical means and not chemicals. We consider this as regular cleaning. Most of our tub stops are easy to remove with a simple twist and drain zip-its can be picked up at our office. To prevent tub clogs, try to wipe out hair before it goes down the drain with a paper towel and toss in a trash can.
7 Easy Tenant Responsibilities
1. Report problems as quickly as you can via our work order form.
2. Commonly, first time tenants will submit work orders for light bulb replacement. We will take care of enclosed fixtures, but our bathroom fixture bulbs should be replaced by tenants. You can stop by our office for light bulbs if you need them.
3. Another common request is our staff will not complete cleaning tasks in your apartment, such as sweeping and mopping. Too often, first time renters will ask why room service doesn’t visit their apartment. We do enjoy a good chuckle when we get those requests.
4. Shower walls need to be wiped down occasionally to prevent mildew growth. If you notice mildew growing on your walls, typically dark colored spots, wash your walls with a hydrogen peroxide. To prevent mildew growth, always run your bathroom fan when you are showering plus 10 minutes after your shower and leave your bathroom doors open when not in use.
5. Submitting work orders when you have questions and taking time to learn from our staff. Eventually, you may become a homeowner and these tips can save you a ton of money down the line.
6. Clogged toilets. If you use “flushable” wipes, DO NOT FLUSH THEM! Do not flush paper towels. If you use a lot of paper, flush frequently. Every bathroom at Holly Park should have a tenant provided plunger for emergency dookie oopsies.
7. Fire alarms are to be tested monthly and batteries are offered for free at our office for you to replace.
8. Broken personal belongings are not the responsibility of the landlord to replace. Make sure you have renters’ insurance.
What We Take Care Of (Not an Exhaustive List)
1. Appliances are our responsibility. We will repair or replace when necessary for free. If, however, you abuse your appliances, you will be billed for the cost of replacement plus labor. Report these issues immediately.
2. Plumbing. We do not want you to replace faucets or other water fixtures in your apartment. We will handle that for you. We also don’t want you taking your pipes apart. We got trained staff for that.
3. Heating and cooling requests. We handle those entirely. Tenants never to attempt work on the furnace or AC equipment in the apartment, including the thermostat.
4. Leaks in your apartment are emergencies. Call our office immediately.
5. All fires are to be reported immediately to first 911 and then our office. No matter how small of a fire, they must be reported to ensure the safety of everyone in the building.
6. If a fire alarm reaches the end of its life, we will replace the unit for free.
7. Electrical plugs and switches are never for tenants to replace.
8. We take care of the building itself. We don’t want you repairing or modifying the physical structure of the apartment.
If you ever have a question about if a work order is needed, submit a request anyway! We’ll either fix the issue or teach you how to prevent the problem from repeating. Discerning what should and shouldn’t be a work order is about having an apartment that functions properly as quickly as possible without our staff invading your personal space.
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