Maintenance vendor problems rarely show up as one big failure. They usually arrive as small slips: a work order that stays open, a callback, a resident who has stopped reporting things. By the time it feels like a problem, it’s probably been one for a while.
Here’s what we’d keep an eye on, whoever you’re using.
Key takeaways
- Track your open work orders and how old they are, not just the total.
- Repeat repairs are a quality signal.
- Silence is a warning sign, even when the work is getting done.
- A vendor’s process tells you more than their sales pitch.
1. Your work order backlog keeps growing
Every property has open work orders. The question is whether the old ones are closing. Sort your open list by age. If the oldest items keep getting older, you’re looking at a capacity problem, and it probably won’t fix itself.
2. You keep fixing the same things
A faucet that gets repaired three times hasn’t been repaired. If the same unit keeps coming up for the same issue, somebody’s treating the symptom instead of the cause. Mold’s a classic example, which we cover in why mold keeps coming back in rental units.
3. You have to chase them for updates
You shouldn’t have to call to find out whether a job got done. If your team is spending time tracking down status, that’s a cost, even if it doesn’t appear on any invoice. Ask yourself: when something’s finished, how do you find out?
4. Emergencies go to voicemail and stay there
Everybody misses a call sometimes. What matters is whether they call back, and how quickly. Test it, or look back at the last few after-hours issues. How long did it take from the first call to someone on site?
5. Turns are holding up leasing
If leasing staff are regularly waiting on units, count what it’s costing you in vacant days. Vendors who only do one trade can leave gaps, too: the unit’s cleaned but is waiting on paint, or painted but waiting on carpet.
6. Residents have stopped telling you things
This one’s easy to miss. When residents don’t believe anything will happen, they stop submitting requests. It can look like things are calm, while small leaks and broken items sit in units until the move-out inspection. If request volume drops suddenly with no explanation, check it out.
What to ask when you’re comparing vendors
- Are you insured, and for how much? Ask for a certificate.
- Are your crew members background-checked? They’ll be in occupied units.
- What happens if I call at 2 a.m.? Ask who answers, and what the typical response is.
- Which work is yours, and which do you subcontract? Knowing who’s actually showing up matters.
- How will I hear about status and completion? Ask to see an example.
- Do you document with photos? Your owner, your records and your adjuster may all need them.
- Can you work with our work order system?
- What are your billing terms?
- Can you show me similar properties? Look for real photos of real jobs.
Check their reviews and their Better Business Bureau profile, too. A few bad reviews aren’t the end of the world. How a company responds to them can tell you a lot.
Should you switch?
Before you do, tell your current vendor exactly what’s going wrong, with examples, and give them a chance to fix it. Sometimes that’s all it takes. If nothing changes, try a replacement on a limited scope first. A handful of turns or one building will tell you a lot without forcing you to change everything at once.
About us
Erickson Property Maintenance combines turnovers, cleaning, maintenance and emergency response under one company, for multifamily and commercial properties across Central Illinois. We’re fully insured (up to $1,000,000), every employee is background-checked, and we’re BBB accredited. Our phone line runs 24/7.
If you’re looking for a second option, tell us about your property. We typically follow up within one business day.
