Maintenance

Maintenance Overview

It is imperative that all parties work together to ensure the integrity of the property.  It is the responsibility of the tenant to report all repairs and maintenance issues in a timely manner and the responsibility of the Landlord/Owner and PMI to address required repairs.  Maintenance for our properties is served by either a PMI maintenance tech for issues that do not require a license or certification or by a licensed and insured vendor.  Each maintenance situation will dictate which of these will be assigned to address the request.  They will receive the request and will contact the tenant via phone or text message to schedule the work.  If a tenant does not return the attempted contact, a 24hr notice of entry may be issued so the work can be performed.  Our preference is to schedule with tenants when an adult is home but can and will perform the work if an adult is not present.  Most requests are not considered an emergency.  Please reference the following information regarding maintenance levels and general processes on how maintenance requests are prioritized and addressed.

 

All non-emergency requests must be submitted in writing through the Tenant Portal.  Please reference what the differences are between emergency and non-emergency maintenance requests below.

 

EMERGENCY maintenance requests should be called into our office during business hours, M-F 8:30am-5:00pm, at (575) 652-4043 option 2.  It is important to provide as much detail in the request as possible.  After hours EMERGENCY maintenance requests, ONLY, should be directed to (575) 652-4043 option 3.

How to Submit a Maintenance Request:

All non-emergency requests must be submitted in writing through the Tenant Portal.  Please reference what the differences are between emergency and non-emergency maintenance requests below.

Tenant portal link here.

EMERGENCY maintenance requests should be called into our office during business hours, M-F 8:30am-5:00pm, at (575) 652-4043 option 2.  It is important to provide as much detail in the request as possible.  After hours EMERGENCY maintenance requests, ONLY, should be directed to (575) 652-4043 option 3.  If no answer, leave a detailed message and someone will get back to you shortly.  If there is an immediate severe threat of life and/or property such as a fire or major gas leak, please call 911 to report the issue then our after-hours phone number.  If a major water leak occurs due to a failed plumbing component, you should call the servicing utility provider to report the leak and to turn off the water at the meter.

If an after-hours maintenance request does not fall into an emergency level situation, then the tenant will be required to enter the request through the tenant portal and a tech or vendor will not be dispatched.

It is not necessary to follow up on maintenance requests unless it is an EMERGENCY or HIGH priority level, as indicated below, in which you have not heard from our office, a vendor, or a technician within 3 hours for an Emergency or 2 days for a High priority work order.  PMI makes every effort to, at the very least, make contact with the tenant regarding the request and relaying to them that it has been dispatched to a tech or vendor.  For any Medium or Low priority level requests, we will prioritize and do all we can to meet the time frames indicated below.

Emergency vs Non-Emergency Maintenance Requests:

Emergency Priority Level: Work orders that have an immediate negative impact on the habitability of the property, safety of human life and the property.  Response time is within 2-3 hours.  Examples: hot water heater bursts, major electrical issue (continuous sparks, full power failure), main water line leak, major roof leak, flooding, fire, indoor gas leak, major indoor sewage backup, broken down exterior door, etc.

Non-emergency mainteance issues are situations in which do not immediately cause a threat to life or property.  Addressing these issues occur during business hours.  These are designated into High, Medium, & Low priority levels. 

High Priority Level: Work orders that don’t immediately have a negative impact on the safety of human life and the property but will have an impact on the habitability and safety of the property if not addressed quickly. Response time is within 2 days.  Examples: hot water heater not working properly, no water in house, HVAC not working, fridge stopped working, broken window, minor roof leak, outdoor gas leak, outdoor sewage backup or minor indoor sewage backup, shorted out outlet, unable to open garage door manually, severe flooring issue, etc.

Medium Priority Level: Work orders that that may pose an inconvenience to tenants but does not pose an immediate negative impact on the habitability of the property or safety.  Response time is within 5 days.  Examples: appliance other than fridge not working properly, garbage disposals, outlet/switch stopped working, running toilet, garage remote not working, faucet/tub spout leaking, minor leak under the sink, cracked window, window/door locks not working but tenant has other means of entry, irrigation system not working, exterior door hard to close/lock, moderate flooring issues, moderate plumbing issues, unable to open garage door with opener, etc.

Low Priority Level: Routine work orders that have little to no bearing on the habitability of the property and poses no safety concern.  Response time is within 10 days.  Examples: loose knob, ceiling fan wobbles, weather stripping/seals, loose doors, drawers & shelves, interior door not closing/locking, blinds not working, window screens off/damaged, minor drywall damage, light fixtures, loose trim, minor flooring issues, minor plumbing issues, caulking/grout, etc.

Lockout Services:

PMI does not provide lockout services.  If during business hours, tenants can check out a key from the office.  If after hours, they must call a locksmith.  We recommend Las Cruces Locksmith: (575) 524-7777 or Glenn the Locksmith: (575) 704-5397.  Tenants are not to “break into” their rental property to access the inside.  Any damages incurred by trying to do so will be the responsibility of the tenant.

Negligence/Misuse/Tenant Charges:

If maintenance is performed and the issues are determined to be due to a tenant accident, negligence, or misuse, the cost of the repair will be the responsibility of the tenant.  Normal wear and tear will be the responsibility of the Landlord/Owner.  If a tenant no-show occurs on a scheduled maintenance request, cancels within two hours of the scheduled time, does not provide the proper access, or does not conduct the requested items prior to the tech/vendor arriving and the job can’t be completed, a service call charge will be incurred by the tenant.  Other charges that may be incurred by tenants would be issuing a maintenance request in which a repair is not necessary, operator error, pet damage, landscaping negligence, lack of cleanliness, not replacing HVAC filters that in turn causes failure of the system, broken windows or doors without a  police report indicating forced entry by others, sewer backups/clogs caused by tenant misuse, failure to mitigate to a reasonable extent a maintenance issue to prevent further damage (continuing to use one side of a sink that is leaking, or not placing a basin to catch a water leak, etc.), and the failure to report necessary maintenance.  We ask that tenants be diligent in maintaining the rental property and report issues in a timely manner.

Tenant Dos and Don’ts:

Tenants should not perform maintenance repairs on the property unless prior written notice is given by PMI.  This includes changing locks, changing landscape, hanging large/heavy items on the wall that make large holes in the walls, electric work besides flipping breakers and GFI switches, plumbing work beyond plunging or using drain cleaner, conducting structural changes, changing fixtures, etc.  Tenant reimbursement for any maintenance repairs not approved first by PMI will not be honored, unless it is inside the realm of landlord/tenant law and proper procedures are adhered to.

Tenants should be changing HVAC filters, fridge filters, RO filters, water softener filters, batteries in battery operated devices/remotes, light bulbs, keeping inside and outside of the property clean and tidy, maintaining landscape, picking up animal droppings, conducting pest control, ensure guests and others who are at the property do not cause damage, use appliances and other operational items in the home in the way they are intended to, report all maintenance repairs and in a timely manner especially high priority issues, and adhering to all other provisions of the lease and accompanying rules and regulations.

Parts & Supplies:

There are times when repairs require a replacement part or the full replacement of the item itself.  Due to continued supply chain issues, parts are not only difficult to find in stock, but also are taking longer than expected to become available.  This may delay the timeliness of the repair.  PMI will work diligently with owners, vendors, and supply houses to get these parts in as soon as reasonably possible in order to make the necessary repairs.

Reoccurring Maintenance:

Landlord/Owners at times, will require reoccurring maintenance to be conducted on the property.  Some of these examples are quarterly HVAC filter service, heating and cooling unit service, pest control, irrigation system check and programming, smoke and CO detector testing, carpet shampooing, and other potential deferred maintenance concerns.  PMI will work with the vendor and tenant to schedule and conduct these actions.