Are you starting out as a small landlord or want to begin expanding your landlord business? If so, one person you should have on your contact list is a qualified handyman. Whether or not you have the skills to handle some repair and maintenance yourself, a handyman is a good investment. Why? Here are a few good reasons.
1. To Speed Up Turnover
Rental unit turnover — the period of time when the unit is empty between tenants — is a huge financial risk for landlords. Speed up this process by outsourcing some of the work to other skilled professionals who can often do it faster and easier as well.
2. To Do Work You Can't
Even a skilled landlord will run into repairs or maintenance that they simply aren't qualified to complete. It could be something with which your experience is limited or even some repair that you need a license to complete. If you're hesitant to take on a task, the best course of action is to avoid liability and extra problems by having someone on call who you can turn to.
3. To Work Remotely
Landlords aren't always physically available to do work in their units. It might be a temporary problem, such as an emergency repair that occurs while you're on vacation, or it could be that you want to buy rentals in distant locations. Either way, you need a reliable person to handle problems when you can't be there in person. By establishing a relationship early, you know who you can trust.
4. To Use Their Connections
Build your network of qualified professionals in many trades by establishing a business relationship with a local handyman service. They will know who you can call on when neither of you can do a particular set of work.
5. To Reassure Tenants
When you need to work in a unit, you're not just responsible for yourself as the owner of the property. You're also responsible to the tenants. Having a professional completing repairs or doing maintenance boosts their confidence in the work and in you as a responsible and upstanding landlord. Not only does this help you maintain good tenants, but it also increases good word of mouth for the future.
Want to know more about finding a handyman service to work with as a landlord? Start by interviewing professionals in the area around your rental units today. No matter who you choose, you'll save time, expand your network, and know work is being done right.