If you are signing up for Poplar Standard, we ask that you agree to our Maintenance Terms and Conditions. This document is attached to our property management agreement and covers the responsibilities of the owner versus Poplar Homes when it comes to maintenance and repairs.
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Below, there is a long list of the most important sections we wanted to highlight both the contract language and an explanation.
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Take a look:
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​Poplar Homes Supervision of Maintenance Projects
Contract Language
Poplar Homes will coordinate, supervise and cause all repairs and maintenance items to be performed which does not exceed $1,500.00 in labor and materials. Owner authorizes Poplar Homes’s expenditures not to exceed $1,500.00 and agrees to reimburse Poplar Homes for said expenditures from the rent proceeds received from tenant(s). Owner shall be responsible at its sole effort and cost to perform all repair and maintenance items that exceed $1,500.00 for labor and materials.
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​Explained
Because we do not hold any reserves upfront from you, we cover your maintenance costs during the month that they occur. Therefore, we ask that for any major repairs or maintenance that is quoted or estimated to be over $1,500 in cost, you must handle the transaction directly with the vendor and we will handle the scheduling and resolution of maintenance with tenants.
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95% of our maintenance tickets are under $1,500 anyways.
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​Troubleshooting
Contract Language
Upon receipt of a tenant maintenance request, Poplar Homes will attempt to troubleshoot and identify the source of the problem and/or resolve the issue without the necessity of utilizing a vendor’s services.
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​Explained
We invest in comprehensive training programs with our maintenance operations team to help troubleshoot common maintenance issues that can be resolved without the need of a vendor or contractor on site. Using the latest interactive video conferencing tools, we can communicate visually to a tenant and walk them through the steps of resolving a simple fix such as fixing smoke detectors, light bulbs, pilot lights, leaking pipes, and more.
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​Mold / Remediation Issues
Contract Language
In the event Poplar Homes receives verifiable tenant complaints of and/or Poplar Homes reasonably suspects the presence of mold, Poplar Homes will obtain all available information regarding to provide to a certified mold remediation specialist to determine whether mold remediation is necessary and the associated cost for mold remediation. All reports, determinations and/or estimates shall be provided to Owner. Owner shall be responsible for all expenditures for mold-related issues. Owner shall be solely responsible and liable for any and all claims related to the presence of mold in the rental unit.
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​Explained
Mold and Remediations can be a tricky process that is often best handled directly between an owner and mold specialist. We will handle the initial assessment of a mold report and inspection and receive a quote for the work. At that point, the owner must come to an agreement and handle all payments directly with the vendor.
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​Indemnification
Contract Language
Owner agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to indemnify and hold harmless Agent, its officers, directors, agents, employees, and contractors (collectively, Agent) against all damages, liabilities, or costs including reasonable attorneys' fees and defense costs, arising out of or in any way connected with this Agreement or the performance of the property management services under this Agreement, excepting only those damages, liabilities or costs attributable to the negligent acts or negligent failure to act by the Agent.
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​Explained
We ask that the owner indemnifies Poplar Homes in the case that we were not acting grossly negligent against our contract. The reason for this is because oftentimes, as property manager, we are navigating the balance of both a renter and property owner's needs. If a renter complaint surfaces from an owner's decision and not from Poplar Homes' negligence, then Poplar Homes still may be on the receiving end of the renter's demands. In that scenario, we are involved in a legal situation that we'd have no place in and therefore we ask for indemnification.
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​Appliances and Systems
Contract Language
Owner shall be solely responsible for the condition and operation of all appliances and HVAC systems in the rental unit and shall at his sole effort and cause replace and repair the appliance as necessary. For the purposes of this section, appliance includes but is not limited to HVAC units, furnaces, fireplaces, washer / dryer, stove / oven, dishwasher, water heaters (tank and tankless) refrigerators, freezers, trash compactor, and also includes the garbage disposal and microwave. Poplar Homes shall perform an inspection of all appliances prior to delivery of the rental unit to an incoming tenant. Owner agrees to immediately correct any identified deficiencies in order to meet its obligations to deliver the rental unit with all working appliances on or before the lease commencement date.
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Explained
In our experience with managing thousands of maintenance tickets on appliances, Owners typically have a preference about handling the repair or replacement of an appliance, whether it's under warranty, they have a favorite vendor, or other reason. We can coordinate with the tenants once you've purchased and/or scheduled an appliance vendor or replacement but we ask the owner to handle all initial payments and setup.
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Contact your Market Development representative or marketdevelopment@poplarhomes.com for a copy of the full agreement and for any other questions or clarifications.