It's a good thing when you are cashflowing enough to outsource your work... I, on the other hand, am not in that position and have to do most of the work in house; UNLESS there is significant damage (even then, I have to beg for help). I transferred a resident that has been here 20 years and basically tilted the building over so he can roll his stuff across the hall. He was a heavy smoker and the walls were YELLOW! I had to rip out the flooring, replace all the appliances, and rip out the shower surround due to irreparable damage. It took my maintenance guy 2 weeks to complete AND I was able to get him help from another property for ONE day.

Unfortunately, unless I replaced the carpet/floor/paint within the last 6 months (I did a lot of that in the time window), I have NO records as to when it was done last; so I had to give residents who moved out the benefit of the doubt and assume that these were not new at the time of move in and not charge them.

I do have a sheet of flat rate charges I use when calculating damages and it is my practice to be fair when charging the account. The one thing in addition to damages I charge is in the event that the resident leaves without completing the initial agreement and they received a concession, I charge it back to them on the basis that the concession given was contingent upon completion of the original agreement. I do also charge for legal fees as appropriate. Unless I have a payment plan in place, I send the file to the collection agency immediately upon completion of the charges; if the resident fails to comply with the agreement; I send the file then. If this is a case where I had to bring in legal and was awarded a judgment, I have the attorney handle collections.

We out source cleaning & repairs when there are larger charges involved. There is too much subjectivity involved in determining what things "should" cost. When you go to court you have an invoice(s) to prove the communities out of pocket costs.

Trying to explain your employees time, the amount of degreaser they used etc, is not worth the trouble. Rely on contracted costs and you are safe from the backup standpoint. Documenting thoroughly, the age of equipment and cost / value of the equipment, will help in determining the total due for damaged equipment.

Small security deposits are common in the affordable industry, and commonly dictated by the market in which your community resides. You are often left with going after a former resident for the balance. In the event you have to go after the person legally, great documentation is key to winning the fight. My recommendation is to contract out the work where realistic and pass the costs on. While it is frustrating your deposits do not cover some of the damages it does not mean your NOI should be sacrificed.

Hi Johnny, Does the warranty cover stains and wear and tear or is it for defects in the carpet?

@Stephani: I have the product information about the carpet/lino I am using for ALL my turns. If anybody would like a copy; email me directly at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I did mis-speak when I mentioned the warranty was 15 years; it is only 10.... oops....

Hi Nicholas,

So, the trash fees we charge are $20.00 per bag. It's not actually a service, rather it's percieved as a service.

Rose, I have added the Mout charges to the file bank. The Helpful Hints is just a cover/into page to the charges. It's property-specific so I didn't add it to the bank. But, it outlines our procedures and the expectations. I apologize for the delay. :blush:

Feel free to call me to discuss in more detail if you'd like. 469-628-0502.

Stephanie,

How does your trash out service work? What are the restrictions/pricing that you charge?

Thanks!