Rental Unit Turnovers &
Apartment Building Handyman Repairs

Should renters invest any of their own time or money to maintain their apartment or rental home?
 
If you are a tenant, it is likely that you leave all the odd jobs to the building maintenance workers or landlords to deal with. This is a benefit of renting, however it is a good idea to protect both your security deposit & minimize intrusions from the landlord's service contractors to use these few maintenance tips. In the United States, between 1919 & 1924 a number of cities & states adopted rent & eviction-control laws. Modern rent controls were adopted for a number of reasons, including during World War II, based on shortages or following Richard Nixon's 1971 wage & price controls. These rent control laws can discourage some property management companies from doing costly “upgrades” in an occupied unit, rather than waiting for a vacancy. Some landlords want you to be home at the time of service, this can mean taking a day off of work. Some areas are seeing rent control laws increasing or being reintroduced after being removed, including some cities with large tenant populations such as New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco & Los Angeles.
If you are unsure about doing the type of minor maintenance tasks as listed below, it's always best to have a professional look at it or contact your property management company for regular “preventative” maintenance.
 
The refrigerator – Keep coils clean by removing the cover from below the door & vacuuming out the dust that accumulated. You can also remove the drip pan from under the coils, wash it & check for clogs before placing it back. Most fridges are now frost free, but if your freezer has more than a quarter inch of ice, don't chip at it with a sharp object & make sure your freezer is clear of food before defrosting it manually. Place a pan under the melting ice to catch the pieces at room temperature.
 
Heating & A/C – Vacuum vents before use for the first time each year & inspect the vents for new dust particles periodically. Change filters as soon as they become soiled & keep furniture & window covering away from them as a safety precaution. It's best to turn the heat down or A/C up a few degrees instead of turning it off, this will actually save more energy by maintaining a steady temperature.
 
Plumbing Problems – Avoid pouring oil, coffee grounds or other solids into the kitchen sink. In the bathroom, remove hair from the sink, shower or bathtub & make sure it doesn't get washed down the drain. A plunger can help with a clogged sink or toilet.
 
While many issues can be handled by your property management company, sometimes the convenience of doing a simple task like cleaning a filter yourself can outweigh dealing with scheduling a service call in your home or apartment.

What is an apartment maintenance emergency?
 
An apartment maintenance emergency is an maintenance issue that, if not repaired, can cause injury, health issues, or major property damage. For example, an electrical issue that can shock people, a sewage leak that can cause illness, or a leak in the plumbing that can cause water damage would all be considered emergencies.
 
FAQ Source
 
 
Why is it so hard to find a good handyman?
 
Why is it difficult to land an expert handyman?
The accurate answer to that question would be that you probably aren’t looking at the right places. There are multiple sites out there that have well-rated professional handymen who have very positive reviews. Sites such as Angie’s List, Houzz, Thumbtack, and Homestars can provide you with qualified guys for any work that you’d need help with. So be extensive in your research.
First, you need to define the term ‘expert’ accurately since maybe that can be the part where you get it all wrong. A professional is someone who is qualified and has a license of operation after being tested and having passed the exams as well. Many people want an expert handyman, but what they don’t factor out is that there are many of them out there, but they cannot recognize them.
How to recognize an expert
You’ll notice several characteristics in a profile that will tell you that this is a professional handyman. These characteristics include
1. Higher prices for their services – the experts charge a higher fee per hour for their services than the local handymen, since they know the quality they bring in and their worth.
2. Recommendations and reviews – an expert handyman will always receive positive feedback from the clients he has served because he is right.
3. Well laid profile – a professional won’t be shy to put across all the qualifications that he has for you to know the capabilities and skills that he possesses.
 
FAQ Source