Energy costs are on the rise, and even if your tenants are paying for their own utility usage, these expenses can still affect a property manager's bottom line. In order to help keep building repair costs down, many residential facility maintenance managers will include money saving tips in a monthly newsletter to tenants. While the residents appreciate the reminder on how to lower their electricity, water, and gas bills, the same efforts improve the efficiency and lifespan of HVAC units, plumbing, and electrical setups.
Recommend Non-Peak Usage - Lower Building Repair Requests
Some municipalities lower energy costs for using major services at off-peak times. Recommending that tenants do their laundry, run their dishwasher, or do other high utility-usage activities at off-peak times (such as after 7pm or before 7am) means less wear and tear on major systems. Fewer breakdowns mean that residential facility maintenance crews can be more efficient, and residents will be happier, reducing tenant turnover. Whoever pays the electricity and water bills will also be pleased, as the bills should decrease with consistent off-peak usage.
Installing Digital Thermostats Is Beneficial To Residential Facility Maintenance Teams
It may seem like an outpouring of capital to install a digital thermostat in every unit, but the ability to program both time and temperatures can save hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of dollars each year. Building repair frequency should decrease, as HVAC units won't be running for hours on end, which can happen on non-digitally controlled systems. Residents can also program these thermostats (with the help of residential facility maintenance team members, if needed) so that their apartment or unit isn't working to heat or cool the space when they aren't going to be home. Overall energy usage decreases, and less maintenance needs to be done on systems due to lower usage.
Remind Tenants To Call When A Building Repair Is Needed
Some tenants will wait to call a residential facility maintenance member until they have several issues built up. At times, this means their frustration level is also increased. If a team member arrives intending to do one building repair, but is then asked to do several more tasks, it can lead to an interruption in providing excellent customer service. The delay ends up offsetting the rest of the facility maintenance team's time, and results in more than one disgruntled tenant. Reminding residents to call right away keeps incidents spread out and under control.
Litter Control Helps Residential Facility Maintenance Teams
When residents keep litter controlled, they not only allow building repair teams to focus on resolving tenant complaints, but they also take more pride in the property. Tenants often need to be reminded of proper garbage and recycling procedures, including trash pickup days. Parking lots are often seen with small pieces of litter strewn around. Asking tenants to take pride in where they live and making it a better community for all by not littering can go a long way.
Regularly sharing money saving tips with your tenants will help lower residential facility maintenance expenses. It will also lead to happier tenants, fewer turnovers and lower overall costs.
Chris Harmen is a writer for Tru-Serve, a residential facility maintenance company that provides professional building repair services throughout the Twin cities (Minneapolis, MN and St. Paul, MN.)
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