One of the most time-consuming tasks of owning a rental property is staying on top of maintenance and repairs. If you are not someone who wants to be hands-on and plans to make the rental investment thing a full-time job, you are probably going to hire someone to do most if not all of that work for you. 

How can you be sure you are finding the right person or people for the job? Someone who will perform quality work in a timely manner and not overcharge. Here are a few tips to checking out maintenance vendors for your rental to better ensure they are trustworthy and worth the money. 

Give Yourself Plenty of Time 

"You don’t want to wait until you need a contractor to hire one. Look for a contractor when your property or properties are in good shape. This will give you time to relax and really do a thorough job of checking into a vendor. If you wait until an urgent moment it is more likely you will hire someone in haste without checking out if they will do the job right. " Steve DeRienzo Barrington Illinois Real Estate Agent

Ask for Referrals

"This is one of the best ways to be sure you are hiring someone that will do great work. Ask people in the business of rentals who you trust about vendors they use or would use. Ask other landlords and rental property managers who they go to for certain jobs. Ask them about examples of the work they have performed for them and if they show up when they say they will. Ask them to give specific details and examples of why they like the vendor. " The Nicole Hanson Group -  Crown Point Realtors®

Do Your Homework  

"After asking trusted sources make sure to do your homework on their recommendations. Look them up online for third party reviews this will help you to get a good idea of how they work with everybody and maybe how they were able to work through and solve any problems that occurred during their service. Ask the contractor for references from other landlords they have worked with as well. " David Fleming, Keller Real Estate Agent

Make Note of Timely, Clear, and Professional Communication 

"Once you have decided to contact a vendor pay attention to how they conduct their communications with you. Are they prompt to respond to messages or get back to you with requests? When they communicate are they polite, patient, and descriptive with their answers or are they short and seemingly annoyed? These are small clues and glimpse into what type of service they will provide if hired."   - Tampa Team TLC, Carrollwood Realtors®

Set Clear Expectations 

"When telling a contractor about the work you would like to have done, be as clear and descriptive as possible and do not forget to clearly and politely communicate your expectations and boundaries for their service. Let them know that you would like them to promptly respond to and communicate any issues, how you would like pricing communicated, what your max budget is, your timeline expectations, what you are expecting from the finished product, etc. Make sure to both verbally discuss these and have a written signed contract. Also set up agreed-upon actions of taking responsibility if expectations are not met."  Helen Miltiades, Savannah Property Manager

Having a trustworthy team of people to help keep your rentals in top condition is very important. A trustworthy property manager can also help you to find vendors that will take care of your rentals well.