Tenant Maintenance Request SOP Template

1.Purpose

To resolve tenant maintenance requests quickly and safely, prioritizing urgent issues and keeping the tenant informed from intake through completion.

2.Scope

Applies to tenant-submitted repair and maintenance requests for occupied units. Preventive maintenance schedules and vacant unit turnover work are covered by separate SOPs.

Definitions

Emergency maintenance

An issue that threatens health, safety, or the structure, such as no heat in freezing weather, a gas smell, or active flooding.

Work order

The record created for a maintenance request, tracking its priority, assigned technician, and status until closed.

3.Responsibilities

Property Manager

Reviews escalated or high-cost requests and approves outside contractor work.

Leasing Agent

Logs incoming requests, triages urgency, and communicates scheduling and status to the tenant.

Maintenance Technician

Diagnoses and completes the repair and reports back on parts, cause, and follow-up needed.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Property management software or work order system
• →Maintenance request intake form
• →Notice-to-enter form
• →Basic tool kit and common spare parts
• →Contractor contact list for specialty repairs

Personal protective equipment

• →Work gloves
• →Safety glasses for repair tasks

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Log the incoming request

   Leasing Agent

   Log every maintenance request in the work order system with the tenant's description, unit number, and the date and time it was received, regardless of how it came in.

2. 5.2

   Triage the urgency level

   Leasing Agent

   Classify the request as emergency, urgent, or routine based on the description, using the property's defined criteria for each level.

   Checkpoint: Every request is assigned an urgency level within the response time the property has committed to tenants.

3. 5.3

   Respond immediately to an emergency

   Maintenance Technician

   For an emergency such as no heat in freezing weather, a gas smell, or active flooding, dispatch a technician or emergency contractor immediately and follow up with the tenant by phone.

   Warning: For a gas leak or suspected carbon monoxide, tell the tenant to evacuate and call the gas utility or emergency services before a technician is dispatched.

4. 5.4

   Schedule access with the tenant

   Leasing Agent

   Contact the tenant to schedule a repair window and confirm the notice-to-enter requirement under the lease and local law has been met.

5. 5.5

   Gather parts and tools before dispatch

   Maintenance Technician

   Review the request details and gather likely tools and parts before heading to the unit, to avoid an extra trip for a common repair.

6. 5.6

   Diagnose the issue on site

   Maintenance Technician

   Inspect the reported issue on site, confirm the cause, and determine whether it can be resolved with materials on hand or needs a follow-up visit or specialist.

7. 5.7

   Complete the repair

   Maintenance Technician

   Complete the repair to the property's standard, test that the fix works under normal use, and clean up the work area before leaving.

   Checkpoint: The repaired system or fixture is tested and confirmed working before the technician leaves the unit.

8. 5.8

   Get approval for outside contractor work

   Property Manager

   When a repair needs a licensed specialist or exceeds the technician's authority to spend, submit the estimate to the property manager for approval before scheduling the contractor.

9. 5.9

   Document the work order

   Maintenance Technician

   Record what was found, what was done, parts used, and time spent on the work order, including any follow-up work still needed.

10. 5.10

    Confirm completion with the tenant

    Leasing Agent

    Notify the tenant that the repair is complete and ask them to confirm the issue is resolved, logging any reported ongoing problem for follow-up.

11. 5.11

    Close the work order

    Leasing Agent

    Close the work order in the system once the tenant confirms the issue is resolved, or reopen it if the problem recurs.

6.Quality checks

• →Every request is logged with a work order and an assigned urgency level.
• →Emergency requests receive a documented response within the property's committed time.
• →Notice-to-enter requirements are met before entering an occupied unit.
• →Completed repairs are tested on site before the technician leaves.

7.Records

• →Maintenance work order log
• →Notice-to-enter records
• →Contractor estimates and approvals
• →Tenant completion confirmations

8.KPIs

• →Average response time by urgency level
• →Percentage of requests closed on the first visit
• →Repeat request rate within 30 days

9.Common mistakes

• →Misclassifying an emergency request as routine.
• →Entering a unit without meeting notice requirements.
• →Closing a work order before the tenant confirms the issue is resolved.
• →Not documenting the cause and parts used, making repeat issues hard to track.

10.Revision history