Maintenance Plan

Maintenance Plan Proposal

Access Downloadable Versions of Maintenance Plans Here

General Performance Goals

1. Respond to routine resident-generated service requests within 5 days
2. Respond to emergency service requests on the same day as received when possible and within 24 hours maximum
3. Prepare standard vacant units for occupancy within 7 days
4. Inspect all units for Preventative Maintenance annually
5. All maintenance work, exclusive of general cleaning, is to be captured on a work order

Routine maintenance requests should all be addressed and, if possible, completed within 5 days. If a work order request cannot be completed during the initial visit (due to unavailable parts, required specialty services, etc.) arrangements to complete the work order must be made as soon as possible and the resident kept informed of any progress.

Residents should be informed at move-in, and throughout their occupancy, that all maintenance requests must be made through the maintenance hotline. In order to ensure that all maintenance work requests are properly handled, tenants that make additional service requests to maintenance staff must be directed to call in a work order to the maintenance hotline.

Components of the Maintenance System

The Marin Housing Authority maintenance system shall include the following components:

1. A work order system
2. A unit turn over procedure

By developing a maintenance system that has these components in place, the authority will have the tools it needs to control the performance of maintenance work at the Marin Housing Authority.

Work Order Procedures

The prompt, courteous and effective handling of work orders is a critical component of a successful apartment community. After moving in, most of the contact with site staff involves interaction with maintenance personnel during the work order process.

Therefore, it is essential to make the work order process a positive experience and to handle all maintenance requests similarly- regardless of their magnitude. All maintenance work, exclusive of general cleaning, is to be captured on a work order.

Maintenance requests should all be addressed and, if possible, completed within 5 business days of being submitted. If it is not possible to address a maintenance request within 5 business days, the resident should be contacted and given an update as to when the request will be addressed. If a work order request cannot be completed during the initial visit (due to unavailable parts, required specialty services, etc.) arrangements to complete the work order must be made as soon as possible and the resident kept informed of any progress.

Residents should be informed at move-in, and throughout their occupancy, that all maintenance requests must be made through the maintenance hotline. To ensure that all maintenance work requests are properly handled, tenants that make additional service requests to maintenance staff must be directed to call in a work order to the maintenance hotline.

Work Order Priorities

Every work order is to be assigned a priority by the maintenance manager. Upon move in, tenants shall be advised of what constitutes an emergency, and criteria for emergency maintenance calls shall be listed on all bulletin boards along with the maintenance hotline number. Tenants found to be falsely reporting an emergency shall be charged a false trip charge of $25. Additionally, a false trip charge shall be incurred by a resident when access is denied to the home for scheduled maintenance appointments.

Marin Housing Authority uses the following categories to classify maintenance priorities:

1. Emergency

A condition that poses an immediate threat to life, facilities, health and/or safety of residents and/or Agency property.

Emergency conditions must be responded to immediately and corrected or abated within 24 hours.

Emergencies include:

• Fire of any nature
• Gas leaks
• Missing or inoperable smoke detectors
• Broken water supply line(s)
• Electrical fault with visible sparks
• Dangerous structural hazards
• Complete loss of electrical power
• Sewer back up
• Flooding
• Clogged toilet (in units with 1 full bathroom only)
• Entrance door not operable

2. Urgent:

A condition that, if not repaired, could pose a potential threat to life, facilities, health and or/safety of residents.

Urgent items should be addressed within 48 hours and include issues such as:

• Broken window
• Non-functioning refrigerator

3. Unit Preparation:

Work involved with preparing a unit for occupancy.

4. Routine:

Most of the work that is not classified as emergency, urgent or preventative is considered routine.

Routine maintenance includes issues such as:

• Repair light fixture
• Repair kitchen cabinet

5. Preventative Maintenance (PM):

Includes all work conducted as part of the Properties annual PM program.

Source of Work Orders

Work orders may be generated by the same source (see below) but have different priorities. It is important that work orders are prioritized properly for HUD reporting purposes since PHAs are measured on their timeliness in responding to different priority work orders. 

Source Types:

1. Resident Requested
2. Management Directed − Management directed work orders are generally sourced during inspections
3. Inspection − Inspection work orders are used to capture scheduled inspections
4. Preventative Maintenance

Processing a Work Order

There are four steps to processing a work order:

1. Work Order Intake

Resident maintenance requests shall only be taken on the maintenance hotline.

During intake, the following information must be entered:

• Who wrote the work order? This is important if maintenance staff has any questions.
• When was the work order taken?
• Apartment number and name of the resident that called in the order.
• Details of the reported issue.
• Unless otherwise specified by the tenant, there is an assumed "permission to enter" that is good for 48 hours. If more than 48 hours pass in completing the repair, the resident must be contacted to secure a new permission to enter.

2. Assign

The maintenance manager is responsible for assigning and completing work orders. The maintenance manager will retrieve work orders and assign them to maintenance staff. In accordance with the priorities established and the skills of the respective staff. If the worker must make more than one visit, the work order remains open until the work is completed.

3. Completion

Upon arriving at a resident's apartment, the maintenance worker shall knock on the door to see if the resident is home. If the resident is home, the worker shall identify himself as an Agency maintenance employee and ask permission to enter.

If the resident is not home or does not answer the door (and there is either an emergency or there has been prior permission to enter), maintenance staff shall enter the apartment by:

• Knocking on the door and calling loudly and identifying oneself as a maintenance worker, and wait approximately a minute
• If no response is heard, knock again, announce oneself, and wait another minute.
• If no response is heard, knock a third time, and while unlocking the door, announce loudly that you are entering the unit.

Any maintenance employee or contractor working in a resident's apartment must hang a maintenance sign on the exterior doorknob of the apartment. This policy is to ensure that the resident does not find someone in their apartment unexpectedly and is for the benefit of the employee as well as the resident.

Upon completion, each work order shall be signed by both the worker and the resident if the resident is present. All information on the work order form should be completely filled out (description of work completed, hours worked, materials used, etc.) On each work order the worker shall, where appropriate, mark the presence of bad housekeeping. The worker shall also recommend any charges for damages. In addition, the worker shall leave a notice under the door indicating that maintenance has been in the unit.

If the work cannot be completed at that time, such as might be the case if parts must be ordered, the worker should offer the resident a realistic completion date. If the worker is not sure when the work can be completed, it will be necessary for the maintenance staff to phone or visit the resident once the information is known.

4. Close Out

All completed work orders should be delivered to the maintenance supervisor for approval. Completed work orders should be closed out within 24 hours of completion. The Maintenance Manager is responsible for authorizing and posting all charges.

The Maintenance Manager is responsible for monitoring on a daily and weekly basis the status of outstanding work orders to determine the cause of any delay.

Unit Turn Over

There are two ways that a lease can be terminated: when the resident terminates the lease by giving notice to the landlord and when the landlord, by initiating legal action, seeks court approval to terminate the lease.

1. Resident Termination

A resident has one legal method for terminating the lease- by giving the landlord written notice of intent to vacate. In accordance with the Agency's lease, the resident must provide 30-day notice.

It is preferable that the resident use the Agency's intent to vacate form however any written, dated and signed notice can be accepted as a legal 30-day notice. If a non-standard notice is received, it is preferable the Property Manager send the resident a copy of the form notice detailing the date of termination with a copy of the original notice attached, along with instructions regarding preparation for the move-out inspection.

While a resident may provide 30-day notice to move out prior to the end of the month, the resident will still be required to pay that last month's rent in full but will receive an "adjustment" at move-out for the balance.

2. Landlord Termination

While the Agency may send the resident various notices requesting the resident vacate the premises and informing of the landlord's intent to seek eviction in the event the resident does not vacate, the only way the Agency can legally require a resident to vacate is through a formal eviction action.

Move-Out Process: Processing a Move-Out

1. Once a written notice is received, the resident's record in Yardi should be updated, noting the move-out date. If the resident did not use the proper form, contact her and arrange to have the correct form completed if possible.
2. Mail or hand-deliver a letter of responsibility to resident after notice is received.
3. Assuming that notice is given for a month-end move-out, the unit should be pre- inspected no later than the 20th of the month. A pre-move out inspection gives management and maintenance personnel advance warning of any extraordinary problems that may need to be addressed after the move-out, in addition to providing necessary information for ordering parts, scheduling vendors, etc. Be sure to issue a 48-hour notice of inspection to the resident prior to conducting the inspection.
4. The Property Manager should explain to the resident that he/she will be filling out an apartment inspection form detailing any and all charges against the security deposit after the Maintenance Manager or Property Manager conducts the actual move-out inspection. Since some damage may need to be bid out for repair, it will not always be possible to complete the charges on the inspection form at the move- out inspection. Indicate that she will receive any balance on the security deposit within 14 days with an itemization of any charges against the security deposit.
5. On the day of the move-out, the Maintenance Manager or Property Manager will walk through the unit with the resident and complete the entire move-out inspection form using the same form that was used at move-in.
6. Final inspection will be done when all of the resident's personal belongings have been removed from the premise. Ideally, the resident will be present at the time of final inspection. If the resident does not or will not attend the move-out inspection, note on the resident signature line what circumstances prohibited a joint inspection.
7. Once the inspection is completed, the Maintenance Manager or Property Manager and the resident will sign the move-out inspection form, and a copy can them be given to the resident.
8. If the apartment is in extremely poor condition, dirty, or extensively damaged, take pictures of the damage before beginning repairs or clean up. When an unattended inspection takes place, note the photos on the inspection report
9. When a resident moves out, it is noted in ISSI. The actual date that the apartment was vacated must be recorded. Once the apartment is ready for occupancy, also enter the "Date Ready."
10. Regardless of the moveout date, the resident is responsible for rent until the keys are turned in to the Property Manager. When a resident is moving out over a weekend, or when the office is not open, the resident is given the benefit of the doubt and is charged rent through the day that she plans to have vacated the apartment, provided the keys are in the manager's possession by the beginning of the business day following the date the apartment is reported to be vacant If an apartment is abandoned, the move-out inspection is dated the day the apartment is discovered to be abandoned, and charges for rent are made through the end of the next rental period.

Security Deposit Forfeiture

As stipulated in the lease and in accordance with State law, a resident's security deposit should be forfeited (not applied to charges) under the following circumstances (unless the failure to give notice is beyond the resident's control, such as death or medical emergency):

• A resident breaks a lease by moving out prior to its expiration
• A resident gives improper notice or skips
• A resident is evicted for non-payment of rent

If a resident pays through the end of the lease, but vacates the premises, this is not a forfeit of deposit situation.

Note: This policy does not apply to pet deposits, as they are strictly a deposit for damages that are incurred by a pet.

Resident Charges

The resident will only be charged the actual costs (including labor and parts/supplies) for maintenance performed that is beyond normal wear and tear, to include:

1. Holes in doors and/or walls, broken windows, broken drawers, missing light fixtures, and broken or missing switch plates.
2. Painting expense is considered normal wear and tear after a resident has lived in an apartment for a minimum of three years. Painting expense for apartments occupied for less than three years will be assessed per the Agency's list of charges. If the apartment requires additional coats of paint due to heavy smoke in the apartment, additional coats will be charged to the vacating resident.
3. If the apartment is left clean, there will be no cleaning charges assessed. If a resident would rather the cleaning charge be deducted from his/her deposit than clean the apartment themselves, cleaning charges will be assessed in accordance with the schedule in the Letter of Responsibility, actual costs, or the schedule of approved Agency charges.
4. If repairs are made by maintenance staff, the resident is charged for labor at a flat rate per hour, in addition to applicable materials. Likewise, if a vendor is used to make the repairs, the resident will be responsible for the amount the property is charged.
5. Replacement of major items such as appliances, carpet, etc. is to be charged to the resident based on its current or depreciated value. The depreciation method is detailed in the Letter of Responsibility or Agency charges.
6. Failure to return apartment keys or mailbox keys will result in lock replacement charges to the vacating resident.
7. Once a resident has returned the keys to the apartment, he/she is no longer in possession of the apartment and should not be allowed re-entry into the apartment for the purpose of doing additional cleaning, painting or repairs.

Death of a Resident

If you have reason to believe that a resident has died in an apartment, contact the police to perform a resident welfare check. If a resident is discovered to be deceased, do not take steps to notify family members or emergency contacts- this is the job of law enforcement officials. Do not give access to anyone other than law enforcement, the medical examiner, the executor of the estate or someone else on the lease. The executor of the estate must provide legal proof that she is the executor.

If the deceased resident gave keys to a family member or friends, do not prohibit access unless directed to do so by law enforcement. If management is informed the resident died while away from the property, the same rules regarding apartment access apply.

The site staff should be sensitive in communicating with family members, and keep in mind that the privacy of the deceased resident should still be protected and that information about the situation should not be shared with anyone who does not have a legal right to know.

The executor of the deceased's estate should be given a reasonable amount of time to remove the resident's belongings from the apartment. If there is not an executor, management must dispose of the resident's belongings in accordance with State law.

If a resident died in the apartment, a cleaning company certified in biohazard clean-up must be used to turn the apartment after it is released by law enforcement. If some cases, this may occur before the executor has removed the deceased's belongings. This work may be done by project maintenance staff only if they are qualified in bio-hazard clean-up. Some or all of the costs involved should be charged to the resident's estate as should all normal turnover costs. Security deposit forfeiture does not apply in this case.

Cleaning and Preparing Vacant Units – move to unit turns

All units shall be cleaned and prepared in accordance with the following standards and with the Vacant Unit Turnover Checklist:

• If the apartment is to be painted, all plug covers, switch plates, drapery rods, heater vents and other items that are not to be painted should be removed and cleaned.
• All light fixtures should be removed and then dusted. Light bulbs should be checked and burned out or missing bulbs replaced.
• The covers of all kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans should be removed and washed, and fan motors cleaned of all grease, dust and debris, and the motor oiled if necessary. This procedure also applies to range fans and filters.
• All heater grills or outlets should be checked for accumulation of dirt or dust and thoroughly cleaned.
• Windows should be cleaned inside and out.
• Refrigerators should be unplugged, have ice trays emptied, and should be checked to make sure that all food is removed from the vegetable crispers, egg racks, butter bins and other shelves. Refrigerators should be pulled away from the wall and the coils in the back of the refrigerator thoroughly vacuumed to remove any accumulation of dust and dirt. The floor under the refrigerator should be cleaned out at this time. When finished, the refrigerator should be plugged in and turned on low.
• The range and oven should be thoroughly cleaned with the range burner drip pans removed and either cleaned or replaced. All control knobs should be removed and cleaned in a detergent solution to remove grease and other dirt.
• Kitchen cabinets should be thoroughly washed down, both inside and out, with a light detergent solution.
• All closets should be checked, and any hangers or other items removed.
• Grout in the bathroom should be washed with a heavy solution of bleach and allowed to stand for at least an hour. At this time, the caulking around the tub and the splash rails around the sink and shower should be checked. If the caulking is old, cracked, shrunken or in any way deteriorated, it should be removed and replaced.
• Toilets must be thoroughly cleaned and washed with a commercial disinfectant deodorant solution.
• Any leaking washers, in either the sinks, bathtub or toilet assembly should be replaced.
• Towel bars and hooks should be checked to make sure they are firmly fastened to the wall. If the towel bar is missing, you must replace.
• Check the apartment for broken or missing doorstops, loose coat racks, and loose drawer or cabinet pulls.
• All doors should be open and shut to make sure they do not stick.
• The apartment should be aired out by opening the windows for a day or longer, if necessary.
• All balconies should be cleaned and painted.
• All windows should be open can closed to ensure they work properly and do not stick.
• Front yard will be cleared of all debris, trash, old plants and grass will be cut.

Appendices

Dear Valued Resident,

This letter is to notify you that maintenance staff has entered your unit to address an open work order. We are happy to inform you that:



• Maintenance staff has completed the work order
• Maintenance staff was unable to fully resolve the issue and will return to complete the work order as soon as possible.

Thank you for your patience as we work to improve your unit!

Resident Name:

Address:

Dear Resident,

Apartment#:

We have received your notice to vacate on xx/xx/xxxx. To assist you in getting your apartment ready for your move-out inspection, we are providing you a list of requirements to avoid any maintenance or cleaning charges.

Your apartment must be returned to us in the condition in which you received it, except for normal wear and tear. Dirt is not considered wear and tear, and charges will be assessed for all cleaning (except for draperies and carpet.)

Kitchen

• Clean and defrost refrigerator (do not turn off)
• Clean oven, range and broiler
• Clean vent hood and fan
• Clean cabinets and remove any shelf liners and all contents

Bathroom

• Clean toilet, tub, tiles and sink
• Clean medicine cabinet
• Clean all floors
• Rid room of all trash
• Wash all windows (inside)
• Remove all nails and hooks



Any required painting will be charged according to the time and materials, and assessed on the length of occupancy per the following schedule:

If you would like to schedule a pre-move out inspection to help identify outstanding issues with your unit, please contact the main office. Pre-move out inspections can be scheduled up to two weeks before your move out date.

The final move-out inspection shall be scheduled to take place on your move-out date. Please contact the office to set up an inspection time. We will make every effort to accommodate your schedule in determining the move-out inspection. A failure to attend the move-out inspection will cause you to lose the right to contest any charges contained in the move-out report. After the move-out inspection any items that must be re-cleaned, repaired or replaced will be deducted from your security deposit.

Should you have any questions concerning the above, please do not hesitate to contact the office.

Vacant Unit Turnover Checklist

• Remove all trash, litter and abandoned property from the apartment
• Change locks on doors (if necessary)
• Clean and paint balconies
• Remove all trash, debris from yard and patio
• Check for and repair any water leaks- kitchen and bathroom
• Check interior doors
• Check/clean switch and plug plates
• Check/clean light fixtures
• Check/clean exhaust fans and covers- kitchen and bathroom
• Wash walls as needed
• Remove nails, screws, etc. from wall
• Clean tops of kitchen cabinets
• Patch all holes and damaged areas in walls as needed
• Clean tops of door and window trim
• Check and repair all plumbing as needed
• Check and repair all electrical as needed
• Paint ceilings as needed
• Paint walls as needed
• Clean, check and repair kitchen cabinets, handles, doors, hinges, shelves as needed
• Clean kitchen sink and fixtures
• Clean bathroom sink and fixture
• Re-caulk tub, sink and kitchen countertop if needed
• Check carpeting- re-tack if needed
• Check kitchen and bathroom flooring, replace or repair if needed
• Replace all missing light bulbs
• Check and clean smoke alarm covers, and replace battery/ies
• Clean and repair or replace window shades/rods/blinds
• Clean, repair or replace windows and screens
• Check, repair or replace window and door weather stripping
• Clean apartment thoroughly
• Remove paint spills, brush marks, etc.
• Clean or replace flooring as needed
• Check all door stops
• Inspect apartment and touch up as needed