Memphis apartment repairs can quickly become a point of contention between renters and landlords. As always, know what is in your lease. The process for requesting maintenance assistance should be detailed in your lease. If it is not, be sure to ask your landlord about it before you sign the lease.
Basic rule of thumb for Memphis apartment maintenance is that if anything goes wrong with major systems, such as central air or heating, you should immediately notify the landlord. The landlord will complete a work order or maintenance request. A maintenance worker will visit your Memphis apartment to address the issue.
If it is obvious the issue is normal wear and tear, the landlord will correct the issue. If the problem is beyond normal wear and tear, you will be responsible for the costs associated with fixing the problem. For example, if a storm occurred and you now have a cracked window, the landlord will replace the window. If the crack is on the inside pane, the landlord will charge you for the replacement. Obviously this is not normal wear and tear. Nor is it from storm damage.
If you are going to rent an Memphis apartment, you should know basic maintenance. This includes basic plumbing. If your kitchen sink starts leaking, you can temporarily fix it to prevent damaging your kitchenware. The landlord will send a maintenance worker or a plumber to fix your problem. The problem is that the maintenance workers cannot be everywhere at once. You can at least slow down the problem until one of the workers arrives to fix it.
Another common “maintenance†area in Memphis apartment living is the bathroom. You should know how to fix a stopped-up toilet. This is usually, though not always, your fault. Most clogs occur from too much toilet tissue being flushed. You just need to use a toilet plunger to unclog your toilet. If the problem persists or you are unable to unclog it, you should immediately notify your landlord. A drain line might be the problem. In this case, your landlord may have a maintenance worker snake the drain line. If that still does not fix it, your landlord may have to call in a professional drain line service.
If your clogged toilet is not caused by too much toilet tissue, but a toy your two-year-old decided to flush down your toilet, contact your landlord. If you try to plunge the object, you may end up lodging it in the drain line. In this situation, calling your landlord immediately is the best option so you do not inadvertently cause more damage. Because this is a situation created by one your household members, you may be required by your landlord to pay for professional services he has to procure to fix your toilet.
The same goes for your kitchen sink. Try not to send food down your water drains. Eventually this can cause a clog in your kitchen sink. If you do not have a garbage disposal, throw your food leftovers into the trash. If your stove or refrigerator does not work properly and they are provided by the landlord, there really is nothing you can do, just contact your landlord.
You should never try to fix an electrical problem. Immediately notify your landlord. His maintenance staff may or may not be able to fix the problem. He may need to hire a certified electrician to come and fix the problem.
Keep in mind that just because you report a problem to your landlord does not mean he will immediately address the problem. It is his responsibility to prioritize maintenance request. He should notify you when they plan to be in your Memphis apartment.
Knowing basic maintenance can only help you. You do not want to call the landlord each time something goes wrong in your Memphis apartment. Know what you can fix and what you cannot.