When Is It A Good Idea To Contact Your Apartment Property Manager?

Whenever you encounter serious problems with your apartment it's always a good idea to contact the property manager. Here are some of the problems that might not always seem serious, but are still appropriate for a property manager discussion...

Any Plumbing Problems

If you have a leak, even a small one, then you ought to let your property manager know about it. Most likely they will be able to send someone from their staff or a trusted plumber to look into the issue for you. This way it gets resolved and you don't have to worry about it. In most cases it's not a good idea for your to address these types of problems on your own anyway because there is so much potential to make the problem worse and, therefore, more difficult to deal with. It's best if your property manager can send a professional to evaluate and fix because they will have the training and know exactly what steps to take.

Broken Windows

If a window in your apartment breaks, an apartment manager should be contacted right away. In some cases the breakage could be intentional, for example if someone tried to break into your apartment. In this case you want the manager to get it fixed for you, and you also when the incident on record. Now, if you broke a window because you lost your keys and you needed to get in the wee hours of the morning, you will likely have to pay for it. But just fess up and admit to the damage. 

Regardless of the reason a window is broken, you should get them replaced to prevent the exchange of outside and inside air (especially important during extreme temperatures), and to secure your apartment so that someone else cannot easily break in.

Issue with Other Tenants

We all want to get along, but sometimes you might end up with problematic neighbors. You ought to let your property manager know about the situation and what is going on. Unless the problem is criminal, it is certainly a better idea to contact your property manager than it is to contact the police when a problem first arises. Of course you don't want your neighbors to get into any serious trouble, so it's best if the property manager can work with them to resolve the problem, whether that's quieting them down or stopping whatever other behavior bothers other tenants. Of course, if the problems continue, even with the property manager's support, then the police can help.

Late Payment

If there is ever a scenario that you will be late in making your rent payment, it's a good idea to be in contact with the property manager. You can ask if there will be a late fee, how much it is, and by when you need to make the payment. If you have a serious payment problem, ask about how long you can go without making rent before you have to worry about eviction. In general, if you are willing to work with the property manager, they will help you out, as long as this is not a habitual problem. It does cost money to evict a tenant, and it can take a good deal of time too, so they will usually prefer to help you out with a payment plan to get you through a tough time.

It's a good idea to know when to contact your apartment property manager. If in doubt, have a conversation with them in advance to find out what situations they believe are important for notification. Keep the names and numbers handy so that you will always know who to contact when you have any trouble with your apartment. Then get the property manager involved when necessary because that's what they are there for.