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Landlord/owner question

1,448 Views | 10 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by springagg
LeftyAg89
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AG
for those of you that own rental properties... quick question...

I own a rental and need have a contractor repair something inside, it will take 3-4 hours.

Is it the tenant's responsibility to be in the house to "watch" the contractor or is it the landlord/owner's responsibility to be onsite or provide someone to be onside to "watch"?

My tenant seems to think I should be there since she has to work.
Bitter Old Man
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AG
It's definitely not the tenant's responsibility, other than to not lock you out. The owner or an agent should be there to let the contractor into the property. You should give proper notice (at least 24 hours).

I think having someone there to watch the contractor just makes good sense.

I'm not an attorney.
LeftyAg89
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AG
Yes I can definitely schedule a time for ME to be there to let contractors in. But surely it's not the landlord's responsibility to provide someone to stick around and "watch" the tenant's property for 3-5 hours!

Roy coy
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AG
You are responsible to get the repair completed as it's your repair, right? You really should provide oversight to ensure contractor doesn't steal anything. I have contractors I've used for 15 years and I send the same ones so they know the property and I trust them. But if I send a "new" contractor, I would be there.

Why do you think it's the tenants responsibility? It's not their repair.

I could see the other way around "if" the repair is something that is a favor for the tenant.
Bitter Old Man
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AG
I dont know what legal requirements exist beyond what is written int eh contract, but watching the contractor is as much for your protection as theirs. Tenants love to claim something was broken/stolen. If you arent there, you dont know what is true or isnt and the contractor is going to refute it regardless.
Martin Q. Blank
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LeftyAg89 said:

Yes I can definitely schedule a time for ME to be there to let contractors in. But surely it's not the landlord's responsibility to provide someone to stick around and "watch" the tenant's property for 3-5 hours!
You don't have to. If something is stolen (or the tenant claims something was), it's your guy and you let them in. Depends on the level of trust you have with the contractor and tenant.
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EagleCamden
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AG
good question. I have always had the tenant meet the contractor and then have them send me the bill. I've found tenants don't really want you in the house anyway. But if I was in your shoes, it sucks but I would probably make arrangements to be there during repairs if the tenant cannot.
schwack schwack
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AG
If the tenant can't be there, we just go & sit thru it. We know our contractors pretty well & trust them, but I don't want the hassle if the tenant misplaced something & the blame goes to the contractor.

Also, if the repair turns out to be more difficult, you are there to oversee & approve extra cost.
CS78
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I guess I've been doing it wrong. When a tenant contacts me with a repair request, I give them the appropriate contractors phone number and ask them to schedule a time that works well for them. A week or so later, an invoice hits my email. Have literally done that hundreds of times and never had a complaint or problem.
EagleCamden
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AG
CS78 said:

I guess I've been doing it wrong. When a tenant contacts me with a repair request, I give them the appropriate contractors phone number and ask them to schedule a time that works well for them. A week or so later, an invoice hits my email. Have literally done that hundreds of times and never had a complaint or problem.
but what if the tenant couldn't be there for some reason? Maybe they work every M-F 9-5pm and that's the only time the repairman can make it.
springagg
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I've been landlord for 10 years and never went to watch or wait for a repair. I give tenant the contractor phone # and let them schedule time that works. If they feel they need to be there the whole time then tenant can do so. Never had an issue in 10 years. I am also not sitting around a house every time a repair needs to be done to watch.
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