Managing Home Appliances Maintenance Chores

Managing Home Appliances Maintenance Chores

(1) What should owners do when tenants call to say that one of the home appliances is not working?

Have you encounter the episode of your tenant calling urgently to say that one of the appliances in your investment properties (such as dryer, washing machine or fridge) is not working? Especially so for items like fridge which requires immediate attention.

Instead of calling the repair man immediately which will attract transport charges and minimum trouble shooting charges, owners should first ask tenant to use another power socket to plug in to give it a try first! If it doesn’t, next step is to ask tenant to trouble shoot by checking through the Instruction Manual of the specific appliances.

If it works on other power socket, then it is a smaller problem. Simply ask tenant to engage his/her own electrician to supply and install a new power socket. Minor Repair clause should apply for this item.

If it still doesn’t work, owners should ask tenant to engage specific brand company to send repair man to come by. Most of the time, the Minor Repair clause comes into play – ie, tenant pays the first minimum amount under Minor Repair clause (refer to your Tenancy Agreement on this amount) and owners pay the excess above this minimum amount. Here’s an example of a Minor Repair clause:

“To provide and replace electric bulbs and tubes at its own expense. The Tenant shall be responsible for all minor repairs and routine maintenance of the premises and to replace electric bulbs, tubes, aircon remote control, aircon wall-mount remote control, and other expendable items at his own expense up to Singapore Dollar One Hundred and Fifty (S$150/=) per item (excluding GST). Such expenditure inEXCESS of S$150/= (excluding lGST) shall be borne by the owner.”

One thing to take note for owners is, it is always advisable to put all the brand names, model numbers, the capacity details of each appliance on the Inventory List. It would come in handy when things break down.

If you need further clarification of the above issue, please contact us to find out more.

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