RepairRadar guide
Property manager maintenance logs: what to track
By J&H Technology · Updated
The short answer
A good maintenance log has one entry per job with the property and unit, the date reported, who reported it, a description and priority, photos, the vendor, the quote and final cost, the invoice, the completion date and whether the tenant was told. Add a preventive schedule for each property, label each cost as a repair or an improvement, and keep the records until the tax limitations period ends for the year you sell the property.
Key points
- One entry per job, per unit, with dates from report to completion.
- Vendor, cost, invoice and photos on every entry.
- Preventive schedules for each property.
- Repair or improvement label on every cost.
Fields every entry should have
- Property and unit.
- Date reported and who reported it (tenant, inspection, or you).
- Description, location in the unit, category (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, appliance) and priority.
- Before and after photos.
- Vendor or technician, with their quote and the final cost.
- The invoice or receipt.
- Date completed, and the date the tenant was told.
- Any warranty on the parts or the work.
Preventive maintenance per property
Reactive repairs cost more than planned ones. Give each property a schedule for HVAC servicing, filter changes, gutter cleaning, smoke and CO alarm checks, water heater flushing and seasonal inspections, and check alarms and appliances at every turnover.
Label every cost for taxes
For rental property, IRS Publication 527 says repairs are generally deductible in the year you pay for them, while improvements are depreciated over time. Label each cost when you log it, and your year-end numbers are ready for your accountant. This is general information, not tax advice.
How long to keep the log
The IRS says to keep records relating to property until the period of limitations expires for the year in which you dispose of it, because you need them to work out depreciation and your gain or loss on sale. See How long should I keep records?.
Review it regularly
Once a month, look for repeat problems in the same unit, slow vendors and rising costs per property. Recurring issues often point to a bigger repair or a replacement that would cost less in the long run.