The Winter season is approaching, and you know what that means? It means potentially dealing with winter maintenance issues with your rental. Property maintenance is one of our highest priorities at Nickel City Property Management!
In this blog, we will break down the most important maintenance requests that renters should report immediately if an issue arises.
A Note on Renting an Apartment in the Winter
First-time renters and owners should be made aware that renting a property during winter in Buffalo can be more challenging due to the weather and other conditions. Nobody likes to move in the winter! But… that could mean you find a nice apartment because the demand is significantly lower in the winter!
Less competition can allow you to fit into a good spot, and multiple people will want to consider your property as an option if it’s up for grabs. With that slower market in mind, you might also see lower rents due to less demand. Landlords could possibly offer a lower rent, waive fees, or provide other incentives for you.
The Biggest Winter Maintenance Requests Explained
So with all of that in mind, let’s run through several of the biggest maintenance requests that could be made and explain how they work:
Plumbing Issue
Plumbing is something that affects almost all of the property’s systems for good or for worse, and your bathroom and kitchen work off their own separate systems. We live in Buffalo, and the surrounding WNY area often features older homes.
A common reason for plumbing issues in the winter could be related to frozen pipes, which can cause leaks. Leaks might present from ceilings, near doors and windows, by the drains, or under the sink. Once that leak happens, it could become a larger issue for the landlord, even if it’s a small leak. An unaddressed leak could connect to other parts of the property and damage them in your drywall, wood, and flooring, and that moisture may even cause mold afterwards.
Depending on your role in the leak, this could affect the return of your security deposit. But if you do run into something like this, we are always here to help quickly.
We use the Property Meld system, where you can submit a request and keep track of everything that is reported. This provides you instant access to our team, and we provide a solution as soon as possible.
Hot Water Issue
Obviously, any tenant is going to want their hot water working, especially during the frigid Buffalo winter. The reality of this particular scenario is that equipment fails sometimes, and it’s up to the property manager to fix it QUICKLY. As we just stated, the quickest and easiest way to submit a request is through Meld.
A water heater can fail for a few different reasons. There could be a buildup of sediment (matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid) or rust that will limit the unit’s ability to produce hot water. There’s also a difference between using an electric water heater and a natural gas heater. Hot water doesn’t get released if the gas supply gets interrupted, and if it’s on an electric water heater, the water doesn’t run cause of the circuit breaker being tripped, or an issue with power.
Our solution to this is simple. Get one of our trusted techs to you ASAP. If new equipment is necessary, we replace it quickly. Our MELD system allows you, the vendor, and the property owner to know what’s happening at every step.
Heating & HVAC Systems
If your heat breaks down, you’re going to notice it quickly here in Buffalo. Depending on the age of the system and the stress on the system, mechanical issues do happen. It’s very common, but often a quick fix. If this problem arises, call us immediately in an emergency, or use the Property Meld app, and we will contact a trusted HVAC professional for diagnosis and repair.
We work with vendors we trust here in WNY that get good work done quickly with HVAC systems, which makes our renters and owners happy. Because of those long-standing vendor relationships we have, we’re able to secure competitive pricing and fast turnaround times, helping owners and renters save money without sacrificing quality.
Having a Bug and Rodent Problem
Now THIS… this will be a major issue to handle during the Winter season. With the outside weather and conditions forcing bugs and rodents to migrate into your property, you will have a potential case for infestation unless your property is well taken care of.
This is one of those instances where it’s on the tenant to also make sure they uphold their responsibility to take care of the property, aside from the property maintenance team.
The reality is, oftentimes, pests are an issue caused by tenants, but you could be sharing a unit with someone who doesn’t keep things as orderly as you do. When this happens, we coordinate professional pest control services and communicate with everyone involved to ensure the issue is resolved thoroughly and efficiently.
We clean the area and remove all issues, and responsibly prevent any additional issues from returning. This approach not only resolves the immediate concern but also protects the long-term condition of the property and reduces repeat maintenance calls.
Lesson – Rent from Someone with a PLAN
At the same time, the most important thing you can do is rent from someone with a plan. Property maintenance companies address maintenance issues as they arise, but it’s also important to have a plan for when things do happen. This is why we use MELD, which our tenants seem to love, because they know there is a plan for when things go wrong with their apartment or rental.
At Nickel City Property Management, we take pride in our streamlined approach to property maintenance. If you are in the market for a new apartment or rental, be sure to check out our available units or get in touch to learn more about what we offer. You can do that by reaching out through our contact form with any questions you have. Talk soon!
Property Maintenance FAQ’s
How often should a landlord change my HVAC systems?
The United States Department of Energy recommends replacing your HVAC system after 10 years. Property maintenance can affect an HVAC system’s lifespan, so depending on how long you’ve lived in a property or if you are renting or owning it for the first time, it would be recommended to check how long it’s been running. Some of the signs that show it might need replacing are if you see rising energy bills, if the air quality is poor, or if it needs frequent maintenance and repairs.
What are the most common signs of a rodent and bug infestation?
When it comes to rodents specifically, some signs you’ll notice include strange odors, nesting materials, bite marks on furniture or cables, or excrement droppings. Whether you have bugs in your house mainly comes down to keeping your living space clean. Bugs are attracted to dirty spots inside, especially if there’s food involved, which attracts flies and ants. This also applies to rodents. Make sure you don’t drop that food anywhere!
