Whenever something happens at your rental property, you should know who to call. Whether it’s an emergency repair or maintenance work, having a list of pre-screened service providers is essential to provide your tenants with the support they need at the right time and ensure your property is in good shape.
When it comes to prudent property management, choosing a service provider is more than verifying their skills. These companies and individuals represent you as a landlord. They are an essential part of your rental business, so you must choose them as thoroughly as you choose your tenants.
How to Choose Service Providers for Your Rental Property
With over forty years in the industry, we’ve had the opportunity to work with several service providers for the properties we manage. From our experience, these are some of the rules of thumb you should follow to pre-screen and choose the best service providers as an independent landlord:
Do Your Research
Even if the provider comes by recommendation, don’t skip the online research. Look for reputable businesses with good online reviews. Stick to companies located near your rental property to ensure they will be quickly available when needed.
Verify Licenses and Insurance
Ensure every service provider you work with has the proper qualifications and licenses to perform their activities and check if they’re up-to-date. In addition to appropriate licensing, contractors and their employees must be insured. This will protect you and your property from liability if a repair goes wrong.
Check Availability
In property management, you have to cover all possible situations. Make sure all the companies you work with respond quickly and include options that offer 24/7 and emergency services in your list.
Evaluate Expertise
The number of years a contractor has been in business is a good indicator of their expertise and reliability. Always choose seasoned and well-established companies that can provide references beyond their online reviews so you can have a full scope of their skills and service.
Review Their Staff Protocol
You must know how your service providers screen and select their employees before doing business with them as this will give you the peace of mind of knowing that the company will send only competent professionals to work on your property and protect you from liability. You could be held responsible for any incident that causes damage to your property or if the habitability of the property gets compromised.
Evaluate Multiple Companies
Getting quotes from several providers for every service your property may need will give you a good idea of the best options in your region and the average prices for the services, helping you choose the best cost-benefit options.
Good Service Providers Are Top Priority
Working with trustworthy service providers will maintain the value of your property, keep your tenants happy, ensure compliance with bylaws and regulations, and save you from more than one headache. However, the pre-screen and selection process can be time-consuming for most independent landlords, which is one reason professional property management is so convenient.
At Amhurst, we count on a carefully selected list of service providers in the Calgary area to handle all the situations a property can face during tenancy, so you can relax and receive your investment’s revenue while we take care of the day-to-day operations of your property. Get in touch to get a free quote.
