Mesa Property Management Blog

Some of the biggest questions we get as a property management company revolve around the subject of wear and tear, and how it’s defined. This is often a blurry line, and many people aren’t sure how to differentiate between wear and tear and tenant damage. In Arizona, the landlord is responsible for fixing wear and tear items. Tenants are responsible for any damage. Knowing the difference between the two can be difficult. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7HPhme8_S4[/embed]

Ask for Help from Vendors and Contractors

We rely heavily on our highly qualified vendors when it comes to distinguishing between damage and wear and tear. That’s one of the reasons we work with such a high quality group of licensed and insured professionals. I’m a licensed real estate agent in Arizona, but understanding plumbing and electrical issues are far beyond my scope of understanding. If the air conditioning is always going out, I’m quick to consult an expert who can tell me if it’s due to neglect or just regular wear and tear. Having licensed vendors who know their trade and can advise is helpful. It helps us know for sure if things in the property are broken due to neglect or wear and tear. That allows us to determine who is responsible for the repair costs.

Choosing Vendors with Competitive Rates

One of the most important things for our clients is getting best rates possible on maintenance and repairs. Whether it’s a plumbing job or electrical work, we have to make sure we’re getting high quality work for affordable prices. As a property management company, we’ve learned not to look for the cheapest rates possible. That’s because in 25 years of doing business, we have done a lot of repair jobs and used a lot of different vendors. The cheapest companies often cannot handle the repairs and they aren’t as professional when dealing with tenants. We find ourselves having to send them back because the job was not done right the first time. On the other hand, expensive companies are usually charging higher prices to pay for their higher overhead costs, and things like staff and marketing. Our goal is to find a middle of the road price with a company that is large enough to handle our work load but not have huge rates. We are happy to discuss repairs with you, and talk about whether they are wear and tear or tenant damage. Please contact us at East Valley Property Management.