Last modified on April 23rd, 2018
By Aimee Miller

Most property management companies choose to form an alliance with contractors to take care of different maintenance tasks. In many cases, this will mean preferred rates and faster response times to requests. In exchange, the property management company may sign a contract that gives the contractor exclusive rights when it comes to taking care of maintenance needs. It is an arrangement that can work quite well. That is, until it doesn’t.

If you find a contractor is no longer doing their job well, you’ve got to reconsider the relationship. After all, the quality of work, and the response time of the contractor reflect directly on you in the eyes of residents and the property owner.

Dealing with a Bad Contractor

1. Take A Close Look At The Contract
   See if there was a clause in the contract that allows you to terminate it if you are no longer satisfied with the work. Even before you do anything else, it’s great to be armed with this information.
2. Talk To The Contractor
   While you shouldn’t settle for mediocre service, there may be a reason why the contractor is suddenly doing a bad job. Perhaps, there is a new employee who isn’t as skilled as the old one. It may be that the company you contract with has no idea that their service has declined. In this case, informing them that a personnel change may be required is helpful. If the contractor is aware of the declining quality of service, they may be willing to offer some sort of compensation. In fact, they may redo the work to your satisfaction and offer a discount on their usual rate. If you go this route, you have to consider whether or not you’re willing to forgive and move forward with the partnership.
3. Look To Terminate Your Contract
   Do not simply go over the head of the contractor and hire someone else. If there is an exclusivity agreement, you could end up in legal trouble. Instead, talk to the contractor about terminating the agreement, and if you have to, consult a lawyer about the situation. They need to deliver a consistent quality of service.

Choosing good contractors is essential to your role as a property manager, and about as important as selecting quality residents. After all, the quality of the work that contractors do can impact resident satisfaction and the overall success of a property.