The Most Common Rental Property Repairs & How to Handle Them

Owning a rental property can be a great investment, but it comes with its share of maintenance responsibilities. From leaky faucets to HVAC breakdowns, being prepared for common repairs can save you time, money, and headaches. Whether you're a seasoned landlord or new to property management, here are the most common rental property repairs—and how to handle them effectively.

1. Plumbing Issues: Common problems: Leaky faucets, clogged drains, and constantly running toilets.
   1. First step on how to handle these issues are troubleshooting with your tenant. A majority of pluming reported like clogged drains can be tenant caused. Simply reaching out to the tenant asking if they have tried snaking, some sort of drain cleaner can save the landlord time and the tenant an expense if it was deemed tenant fault.
   2. If you have taken this step and troubleshooting has not helped its highly recommended to hire a trustworthy licensed and bonded plumber to schedule directly with the tenant to repair the issue.

2.  HVAC Failures: Common problems: Furnace not heating, AC not cooling, poor airflow, and strange noises
   1. Your properties HVAC system is one of the most expensive systems and it is recommended to invest in a routine HVAC plan that regularly inspects and repairs. Doing this small investment can find issues sooner rather than later and also extends the life of your HVAC.
   2. Before sending out your preferred HVAC vendor troubleshooting with your tenant is recommended. The most common troubleshooting is asking your tenant is the furnace filter clean, batteries in the thermostat replaced and have you tried resetting the breaker associated with your HVAC system. These simple items can often be the cause of the HVAC not running properly.
   3. Lastly if none of these troubleshooting items work having your preferred HVAC vendor reach out and schedule with your tenant in a timely manner is highly recommended.

3. Appliance Malfunctions: Common problems: Broken dishwashers, ovens, refrigerators, or laundry machines.
   1. If your tenants lease has a specific appliance written into is as provided repairs or replacement is owners responsibility. However easy troubleshooting could save you the cost of a vendor service charge.
   2. Troubleshooting can range depending on what appliance is causing the issues, but for all appliances you should start by asking the tenant, “Have you checked all GFCI’s to see if any are tripped and  have you tried resetting the breaker.”
   3. If the appliance is a dishwasher also asking the tenant if the filter is clogged is also common.
   4. If none of the troubleshooting works having a reliable appliance vendor on hand is ideal especially if the appliance not working is a refrigerator/freezer these would be considered urgent and if you cannot get it quickly repaired a rental, or replacement would need to be provided asap.

4. Landscaping & Sprinkler Issues: Common problems: Dead grass, broken sprinkler heads, overgrown bushes, or poor drainage.
   1. First ensuring the property is given to your tenant in an upkept way so the tenant knows their expectation is highly recommended. Trimmed grass, no weeds, and properly working sprinklers is best.
   2. If grass is drying out or sprinklers are not spraying correctly asking the tenant to increase watering time, checking the sprinkler or irrigation filter could help these issues.
   3. If tenants complete these items and it’s still an issue hiring out a professional landscaper to schedule with the tenants is then needed, along with a simple reminder to the tenants to hand water the lawn until the issue is resolved if landscaping is their responsibility.
   4. Schedule regular lawn care— if landscaping is the landlord’s responsibility and ensuring your landscaper and tenant are in good communication.

Routine maintenance and quick response times are key to protecting your rental investment and keeping good tenants. Create a reliable system—either with a property management company or your own checklist—to handle repairs efficiently. Building a network of trustworthy contractors and staying proactive can turn these common headaches into manageable moments.