How To Request a Repair To Your Rental Using Bricks + Agent

Requesting maintenance or repairs for a rental property can be tricky. Busy schedules clash, responding times delay work being completed and sometimes conflicts can arise between the owner, tenant and sometimes even property managers.

The truth is, these situations tend to occur more than you would like to think. Most of the time, property managers are swamped in paperwork and unable to keep on top of trade professionals, as well as keeping all other parties in the communication loop.

To avoid problems arising, new technology and software applications such as Bricks+Agent are being used by Australian real estate agencies to help property managers, tenants and owners streamline communication channels when it comes to maintenance and repairs at a rental property.

Some of the basic legal rules in Australia for rental repairs are as follows:

1. If the repairs required concern the general wear and tear over time, it is the landlord who needs to pay for them.
2. If the property requires repairs due to damage caused by the tenant, it becomes the tenant’s responsibility.

However, there are times when the repairs required are immediate in nature and tenants cannot wait for the disputes to settle. At such times, tenants can get the repairs done on their own, provided the bill does not exceed $1,000.

The property owner will have to reimburse the bill to the tenant within 14 days of their written notice.

Tenants need to ensure that they have legal proof of:

1. the damage to the property was not their fault
2. they made attempts to reach the landlord
3. they gave them reasonable time to get the repairs done.

Requesting a repair for a rental property using Bricks+Agent

Requesting repairs for a rental property through Bricks + Agent’s property maintenance platform is a breeze. Rather than downloading a form from a website and submitting it to a property manager, tenants can login to the Bricks+Agent mobile application , provide details, photos and video footage of the requested repair or maintenance which immediately notifies the property manager.

Tenants and owners can communicate via instant messenger to the property manager, providing full transparency for all stakeholders.

to engage with certified trade professionals. It gets customers in touch with the best trade professionals in their area that bring a certain expertise to the equation.

Let the property manager take it from there

Property managers will post jobs and engage certified trade professionals to quote on them. Along with the quotes, property managers are also able to visit tradie profiles. There they can browse reviews, job history and location. Once quotes are submitted, property managers approve a tradie to get the job done. Once approved, trade professionals can contact tenants via the app to arrange a time to visit the property and perform the requested maintenance or repairs in the agreed time frame.

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