Apartment Maintenance Checklist

As your old resident moves out and you prep for your new tenant to move in, it’s crucial you have a structured plan to create a smooth apartment turnover that covers everything—especially maintenance.

Whether it’s cleaning air filters regularly or checking smoke detectors, routine preventative maintenance is the best way to prevent serious property damage. It ensures minor problems don’t balloon into costly repairs and gives residents a safe and comfortable dwelling.

But how do you keep it all straight? By using a comprehensive apartment maintenance checklist.

We’re breaking down every step of a solid apartment maintenance checklist so you can effectively maintain your property while saving time and money. 

Routine Preventative Maintenance Tasks

Maintenance can be a pain—you’ve got to hire repair people and schedule appointments, and repairs can be expensive. But taking a proactive approach to regular maintenance can prevent costly repairs, tenant complaints, legal actions, and even a potential loss of rental income. 

A best practice is to schedule monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, seasonal, and annual maintenance inspections. Take a look at what each inspection should entail.

Monthly Maintenance

Conducting regular maintenance can go a long way in preventing costly repairs in the future. Not to mention, quick response times to maintenance requests or limited maintenance required is a top consideration for quality tenants looking for a new rental.

When doing your monthly maintenance inspections:

Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test all alarms in the unit to ensure they’re functioning properly.

Check and replace HVAC filters. Clean filters and replace them as needed—this improves efficiency and air quality.

Inspect fire extinguishers and emergency exits. Verify that fire extinguishers are accessible and working properly, and ensure emergency exits are unobstructed and clearly marked.

If a resident has made any maintenance requests, you’ll also want to address them promptly—even if they fall outside your monthly maintenance schedule.

Quarterly Maintenance

Your apartment maintenance checklist should include items that don’t necessarily require frequent check-ins, like inspecting the plumbing. While these maintenance items are important, they don’t necessitate monthly maintenance.

Every quarter, make sure you:

Inspect plumbing fixtures for leaks. Check for any plumbing leaks, inspect water pressure, and clear any slow drainage.

Check and clean dryer vents. Make sure all dryer vents are clean and free from debris—clogged dryer vents can cause fires.

Test GFCI outlets and electrical panels. Perform a test and reset on each GFCI outlet and check electrical panels for any tripped breakers. 

Pro tip: Leverage predictive maintenance to reduce costs and boost tenant satisfaction.

Bi-Annual Maintenance

Every six months or so, you should do thorough maintenance and upkeep of both the property and individual units. This includes flushing water heaters to remove sediment build-up and keep the water heater in good working condition.

Your bi-annual apartment maintenance checklist should also address gutters and downspouts. Clean the gutters and drain pipes thoroughly to prevent water damage. You’ll also need to lubricate door hinges and locks to prevent squeaking and rust.

Seasonal Maintenance Tasks

When the seasons change, so should your maintenance tasks. Your seasonal apartment maintenance checklist will make sure systems and equipment are operating at peak performance for the upcoming season. 

Your apartment maintenance checklist should account for any weather-related factors.

Spring Maintenance

Property damage is common during the winter months—from frozen pipes to snow-related issues. So when spring comes around, check for any damage from the winter months and start prepping for the warmer months to come.

Here are a few things to add to your spring apartment maintenance checklist:

Inspect the roof and repair any damage. Check the roof for winter damage, like loose shingles, and repair as needed. 

Clean and service air conditioning units. Thoroughly inspect AC units, clean vents, and replace filters.

Check outdoor lighting and landscaping. Replace any burned-out bulbs, remove dead plants, and ensure there are no landscaping hazards.   

Summer Maintenance

Depending on where your property is located, summers can be brutal. And more often than not, your HVAC system will kick into overdrive trying to keep units cool. Summer is the perfect time to ensure your AC system is fully functioning.

You’ll also want to:

Inspect and seal windows and doors. Make sure you properly seal all windows and doors to prevent air leaks and increase energy efficiency.

Service and clean the pool (if applicable). Hire a professional to test chlorine levels, clean filters, and confirm the pool is safe for use.

Check for signs of pests and schedule pest control. Schedule a pest control service to prevent ants, mosquitoes, or other seasonal bugs from infesting the property. 

Fall Maintenance

With fall comes cooler weather—make sure your property can withstand the upcoming chill and winter months by inspecting and cleaning your heating systems. All heating systems, like furnaces, should be clean and operational.

Clean and store all outdoor furniture and equipment to protect it from harsh weather conditions (and extend the longevity of the furniture). 

Another thing to add to your apartment maintenance checklist is checking and repairing weather stripping and caulking. Seal all openings, such as around doors and windows, to prevent drafts, moisture, and heat loss.

Winter Maintenance

Winter property maintenance is crucial—especially because of potential freezing hazards. Add these winter-related tasks to your apartment maintenance checklist:

Inspect and clear snow and ice from walkways. Remove any snow and ice from adjacent walkways or parking areas to prioritize tenant safety. 

Test and maintain heating systems. Confirm that the thermostat is working properly and update any temperature settings as needed for energy savings.

Prepare pipes for freezing temperatures. If water freezes inside pipes, it can lead to major damage—insulate exposed pipes and seal any gaps or cracks. 

Annual Maintenance Tasks

You want to attract quality tenants—a key part of doing so is maintaining your property year-round to create a safe and pleasant community. Every year, you should conduct comprehensive inspections, including common areas and on-site facilities. 

Comprehensive Inspections

Your apartment maintenance checklist includes specific action items for every time of year, but it should also include more thorough inspections. At least once a year, take time to do a comprehensive inspection of each rental unit.

Inspect each unit carefully for any wear and tear, damage, or other potential issues. Check for structural issues, mold, and mildew. If you detect these safety issues, take care of them quickly. Inspect and service major appliances to ensure they’re operating effectively, and schedule any service visits before a new tenant moves in. 

Common Areas and Facilities

If your rental property includes amenities like an on-site gym, pool, or business center, you’ll want to maintain these areas, too. Maintenance for these common areas includes:

Inspect and maintain elevators and stairwells. These areas are easy to overlook. Check hallways, lobbies, and other common areas for cleanliness, lighting issues, or damage.

Cleaning and updating common areas (lobby, gym, laundry rooms). Effective cleaning and maintenance contribute to attracting and retaining quality tenants.

Inspecting and maintaining security systems. Safety is a top priority for your tenants—maintaining your security systems is crucial to prevent intrusions.  

Emergency Maintenance Preparedness

Dealing with an unexpected emergency is a property manager’s worst nightmare. Having a clear plan in place will help you prepare for any surprises and minimize potential compliance issues, like those outlined in the Fair Housing Act.

When building your apartment maintenance checklist, include emergency contact details, emergency kits and supplies, and any training or procedures.

Emergency Contact Information

Whether it’s a busted pipe or a malfunctioning water heater, some maintenance issues need an immediate response. Give tenants what they need to get in touch with your maintenance team for emergency repairs.

Maintain an updated list of emergency contacts. If there’s a maintenance emergency, tenants have all the contact details they need to get it taken care of quickly.

Make sure all tenants know how to reach maintenance staff after-hours. Give residents the after-hours maintenance number—in the case of an emergency outside of regular business hours. 

Emergency Kits and Supplies

Being prepared for any emergency means having a fully stocked emergency kit. Stock your kits with all essential tools and supplies, like bandages, gauze, scissors, ointment, and more.

You’ll also want to keep spare keys, batteries, and other basic items on hand.

Training and Procedures

Another way to prepare for emergencies is to have an established process in place and to train your team on emergency procedures and protocols. 

Don’t overlook the importance of training your staff in emergency response—review safety protocols and evacuation procedures. And conduct regular emergency drills and inspections to prepare your team on how to handle potential emergencies, like extreme weather events.

Tenant Communication and Reporting

Your apartment maintenance checklist should include a clear communication plan—informing tenants about scheduled inspections and how to report any maintenance issues. 

Reporting Maintenance Issues

Communication is vital to ensuring tenants get their maintenance issues resolved quickly. Make it as easy as possible for them to communicate with you and report maintenance issues by creating an easy-to-use system, like a dedicated online portal.

Encourage residents to report issues immediately so you can resolve things faster and get everything back to normal promptly. You don’t want maintenance issues to disrupt their renting experience on your property, and the best way to make sure that doesn’t happen is for tenants to report problems quickly.

Regular Updates and Notifications

When a renter makes a maintenance request, they expect you to drop by to make the repairs. But when you’re doing scheduled maintenance, make sure you communicate clearly to let them know when to expect you and what you’ll be fixing or checking.

Keep tenants informed about scheduled maintenance and inspections. Let tenants know in advance about any scheduled maintenance or inspections to maintain a positive relationship and avoid any potential issues.

Provide updates on the status of reported maintenance issues. Give tenants status updates, including an estimated resolution time. 

Put Your Apartment Maintenance Checklist to Use

Property damage is bound to happen, especially if you don’t thoroughly screen applicants before signing them on as tenants. But this apartment maintenance checklist should help you stay organized and prevent expensive repairs by informing when to perform maintenance and what that maintenance should include.

By leveraging this checklist and preparing for maintenance emergencies, you can make the apartment turnover process seamless while saving time and money by resolving maintenance issues before they become expensive, time-consuming repairs.

The next time you turn over a unit, use this apartment maintenance checklist to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Additional Resources

Need some extra help? Check out these other helpful resources:

• Doorloop’s apartment maintenance checklist
• EZ Landlord Forms’ preventative maintenance checklist
• Maintenance and repair services
• Maintenance Care’s work order software
• A comparison of the best property management software