When you partner with an Atlanta property management team like ours at Silas Frazier Realty, you don’t have to worry about maintenance requests at all. We’re the first point of contact for your tenants, and we’re also already set-up with a maintenance reporting system that’s efficient, streamlined, and responsive.
In 2025, tenants are looking for ease and convenience. They don’t want to leave you 10 messages about their leaking faucet or their broken dishwasher.
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to handle tenant maintenance requests in the modern rental market.
The Benefit of Digital Maintenance Request Systems
Tenants are rarely interested in calling with vague descriptions of their issues. In 2025, rental property owners have the opportunity to leverage dedicated maintenance request portals or apps that allow tenants to submit detailed maintenance requests with photos or videos. These systems are much easier for owners to track request status in real time and provide updates. It’s also easier to schedule appointments directly with service providers
Platforms are available with robust maintenance modules that include AI-powered triaging. These systems categorize requests by urgency and even suggest potential solutions based on common problems. It provides a clear, centralized, and accessible system minimizes misunderstandings and speeds up response times.
Incorporating AI-driven workflows helps prioritize and assign maintenance tasks more efficiently. Many platforms now offer:
- Chatbots that can triage and answer basic tenant questions (such as resetting a breaker or unjamming a garbage disposal)
- Predictive maintenance algorithms that alert you to problems before they occur, using data from smart home devices like leak detectors and HVAC sensors
- Automated reminders for routine inspections or follow-ups
There are IoT (Internet of Things) sensors for real-time diagnostics on plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems. This provides a better response and helps with long-term planning and budgeting.
Establish Clear Response Timelines
Tenants expect prompt responses, especially in urgent situations. This is the year that transparency and accountability are key. Outline and communicate your service level standards. How quickly can tenants expect you to respond to an emergency, for example? A gas leak needs your attention within the hour. A lack of heat in the winter needs to be fixed same-day.
What about the urgent issues, such as plumbing leaks and electrical problems? What should tenants expect for non-urgent issues like a closet door off its hinges? Put all of these expectations in writing and make sure your tenants understand the difference between an emergency and a general repair.
We like automated notifications to confirm receipt of a request and provide real-time updates on progress.
Build a Reliable Vendor Network
Your ability to handle maintenance efficiently depends on having the right people available at the right time. Demand for skilled and qualified vendors remains high, especially in the Atlanta market, so having a vetted network of contractors and service providers is crucial. Create service agreements with your go-to plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians. Ensure your vendors understand your expectations for tenant communication and professionalism.
Track Maintenance History and Analytics
Documentation is vital for long-term planning and liability protection. We use property management software to log:
- Date and time of request
- Description of the issue
- Contractor response and repair notes
- Cost and completion time
Over time, this data can help identify recurring issues such as faulty appliances or problematic plumbing lines and budget more accurately for capital improvements. If you’re an investor with more than one rental, analyze maintenance trends across properties to reduce downtime and improve efficiency.
Emphasize Preventive Maintenance
Proactive property owners are investing more in preventive maintenance plans to reduce surprise repairs and extend the life of their assets. Common preventive tasks include:
- Seasonal HVAC servicing
- Gutter cleaning and roof checks
- Water heater flushing
- Annual plumbing inspections
These preventative services keep your property in excellent shape and also reassure tenants that you’re invested in their comfort and safety.
Maintain a Positive Communication Loop
Handling maintenance requests isn’t just technical. Fast, open communication is also necessary. Your tenants want to feel heard and respected. That means responding with empathy, even if the request seems minor and annoying. It means sending follow-ups after work is completed to ensure satisfaction, and offering a simple feedback form after each service interaction.
Here’s an interesting statistic to consider: According to 2024 NMHC data, 79% of tenants said timely and respectful maintenance was the top factor influencing lease renewal. Avoiding maintenance is a terrible way to lose a tenant, especially in 2025 when there are so many tools and resources to prevent it.
Stay Compliant with Local Laws
Last year, Georgia enacted the Safe at Home Act, which establishes some of the first habitability standards that we’ve ever seen for rental homes in Atlanta and throughout the state. Housing laws continue to tighten around tenant rights and habitability standards. Ensure your maintenance practices comply with local and state timelines for emergency repairs, licensing and insurance requirements for contractors, and record-keeping obligations for health and safety inspections.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Reputation
In a world where tenants can leave reviews on Zillow, Google, and Yelp, how you handle maintenance can directly affect your occupancy rate and profitability. Positive word-of-mouth and high ratings often come from tenants who feel taken care of. You want to be known as the landlord who prioritizes maintenance.
In 2025, handling tenant maintenance requests isn’t just about fixing things. It’s also about building trust, using the right technology, and operating like a modern, responsive business. When you treat maintenance as an opportunity to show professionalism and care, you create lasting value for both your tenants and your property.
We know that staying ahead of maintenance requests isn’t always easy, and this is one of the best reasons to partner with a professional property manager. We already have the systems and the technology in place. So, whether you manage one unit or one hundred, investing in property managers who can provide better maintenance processes is one of the smartest moves you can make this year.
Contact us at Silas Frazier with any maintenance-related questions.
Silas Frazier Realty serves rental property owners in Atlanta, Snellville, Stone Mountain, Lilburn, Conyers, Smyrna, Marietta, Lithonia, Jonesboro, McDonough, Vinings, Brookhaven, and Tucker.
