.webp)
According to Florida's Landlord/Tenant Law, tenants should inspect the property before signing a lease. They should also read the rental agreement thoroughly to check the provisions for repairs.
Meanwhile, Florida landlords must keep their rental units in good condition. This means maintaining plumbing, roofing, and other structural components. Now, if you're a landlord who has outsourced maintenance and repair duties to a property management company, who takes care of the costs?
Do property managers pay for repairs? Here's what you need to know about the duties of property managers in Fort Walton Beach, FL.
Understanding Property Manager Duties in FL
Property management services cover the day-to-day operations of running a rental unit. These include screening potential tenants, collecting rent, marketing properties, etc.
As for repair responsibilities in Fort Walton Beach, they also handle property maintenance. That, of course, involves coordinating with contractors for necessary repairs.
If you're not working with a property management company yet, note that Florida has specific rules for property managers. Florida property managers must have a real estate broker's license unless they are managing their own property.
Landlord Repair Obligations: Do Property Managers Pay for Repairs?
To help landlords, property managers can set up a budget for property maintenance. Property managers can then use this approved budget to pay for minor repairs.
Major repairs, on the other hand, should be discussed with the property owner. Regardless of the extent of repairs, property managers are not obligated to cover these costs.
Even if property managers don't pay for maintenance costs, they can help a lot to lower your repair expenses. Quickly responding to tenant maintenance requests can prevent minor problems from becoming major ones. Also, since they inspect rental units regularly, they can schedule preventive maintenance to save you more money.
Can You Use Security Deposits to Pay for Repairs?
You understand that as a landlord in Fort Walton Beach, you're the one paying for your rental's repairs and not your property manager. Considering how costly some repairs are, does it mean you can use a tenant's security deposit to cover these?
Before you do this, know that you cannot use security deposits to pay for normal wear and tear. Remember that you still have to return the deposit to the tenant at the end of their lease. You can only use the deposit if the renter fails to pay rent or causes damage beyond what is normal.
Damage beyond wear and tear includes tears, holes, or burn marks on carpets and curtains. It could also mean broken doors or windows, pet messes like urine stains, and so on.
Prepare for Repairs With the Help of a Property Manager
If you need help with property maintenance in Fort Walton Beach, FL, consider working with a full-service property management company like All American Realty and Investment Group.
We offer a full range of services tailored to investors, including property maintenance. Our secure portal lets tenants submit all maintenance issues in a few clicks, and our trustworthy vendors address these requests in a prompt manner.
To learn more about how we maintain the properties we manage, you may call us at 850.353.7470.
