Commercial Plumbing Businesses Value To Property Managers

Increasingly, rental property owners are turning daily management of their assets over to property management firms.

Back in 2016, the percentage of landlords managing their own properties was higher; however, the trend towards outsourcing to property managers has been an upwards trend ever since.

Property investors take on the risk associated with rental properties for the ROI, i.e. the rental return, and they’ve worked out they can get the return they need without dealing with the day to day management. However, property management firms need the right service providers to get the best deals for their clients – the landlords.

One service area in constant demand for property maintenance and repair is plumbing, and with thousands of self-employed plumbers is it better for property management firms to use one supplier or many? Property managers are getting value from using commercial plumbing businesses with these core services:

1. Full Reporting and Documentation

One way that your firm benefits are when commercial plumbers provide full reporting and documentation of the problem and the fix for the issue. The right firm will ensure that their plumbers provide before and after photographs and reports on the work performed, parts replaced, and the costs. They will even make recommendations for future work needed. These detailed records can then be passed along to the rental property owners. The recommendations of future work can also help develop a maintenance system that prevents damage due to neglect.

2. Advanced Leak Detection

Spotting the signs of a water leak is usually quite simple – water stains on the ceiling are usually the first clue. However, finding the actual leak can be problematic, particularly if the leak is underground or coming from pipes inside a wall.

A commercial plumbing company will provide licensed, experienced plumbers equipped with advanced leak detection equipment to reduce the amount of time involved in finding leaks that are not obvious and repairing them quickly. Landlords will be happy water is not left to leak for days on end, with more damage to the property.

3. Priority for Urgent Needs

A supplier contract will have a service level agreement specifying the response times for urgent repairs. A faster turnaround will make sure the tenants are happier in your landlord’s property. Happy tenants make happy landlords, and this is the ultimate outcome for your firm’s property managers.

4. Prompt Drain Clearing

One prevalent maintenance task is the clearing of drains, particularly stormwater pipes.

Slow and clogged drains are the most common issues tenants have with their plumbing, and if they are not dealt with promptly, they can lead to serious issues down the road, including burst pipes. The plumbers will be equipped with traditional and advanced drain clearing tools with the right commercial plumbing company.

Conventional tools like augers can be used in most cases, but in some instances, these will not be enough, and a more advanced method will be required.

For example, if the clog is located far down the drain line or is even located outside of the rental property, between the building and the main sewer line, the plumber will need to use more than just an auger to clear the clog.

Summary

More people are renting than a few decades ago. Homeowners are more vigilant when it comes to maintenance, especially leaks. Tenants are less bothered, so landlords use property management services where property inspections pick up visible water damage.

Property management is a competitive industry, so if you’re in this sector, make sure you have developed good relationships with service providers.

Commercial plumbers dedicated to plumbing training will give you confidence that you’ve chosen the right team for the job.

Now you can turn your attention to other service providers like electricians to handle the regular and most frequent electrical maintenance needs on behalf of your landlord clients.