A text that says “the sink is broken” starts a conversation. It does not create a complete maintenance request.
A useful request identifies the property, problem, urgency, access instructions, and evidence. A useful tracking process then records every update until the tenant confirms the repair is complete.
Use the template below in email, a form, or your tenant portal. TenantHub users can keep maintenance requests and tenant messages attached to the correct rental instead of rebuilding the history from texts.
Safety note: Tell tenants to contact emergency services for immediate threats to life or safety. Define your own emergency maintenance contact process and follow the habitability, entry, repair, and notice rules where the property is located.
Tenant maintenance request template
Property and unit: [address/unit]
Tenant name: [name]
Best contact information: [phone/email]
Date and time noticed: [date/time]
Location in property: [room/area]
Problem: [plain description]
Current impact: [what cannot be used or what is being damaged]
Water, gas, sparks, smoke, or active leak present?: [yes/no and details]
Photos/video attached: [yes/no]
Steps already taken: [for example, stopped using fixture]
Permission to enter under agreed terms: [details]
Pets, alarm, gate, or access information: [details]
Preferred appointment windows: [dates/times]
Do not ask a tenant to perform electrical, gas, structural, or other potentially dangerous diagnostic work. The form should help route the request, not transfer professional repair work to the tenant.
What the landlord should record
The tenant’s description is only the first entry. Add:
- Request ID or reference
- Date and channel received
- Priority assigned
- Person responsible for the next action
- Vendor contacted and appointment time
- Entry notice sent, when required
- Status updates shared with the tenant
- Work performed and cost
- Photos, invoice, and warranty information
- Completion date
- Tenant confirmation or follow-up issue
Keep facts separate from assumptions. “Tenant reports water under kitchen sink” is better than diagnosing the cause before inspection.
A simple maintenance priority system
Emergency
An immediate threat to people or serious ongoing property damage, such as a suspected gas leak, fire, dangerous electrical condition, major active flooding, or another condition your local rules treat as urgent.
The first instruction should be about safety, not submitting a perfect form. Emergency services, utilities, qualified vendors, and legally required landlord action may all be relevant.
Urgent
A serious problem requiring prompt coordination but not currently presenting the same immediate danger, such as a contained leak, loss of an essential service, failed exterior lock, or rapidly worsening condition.
What counts as urgent or legally time-sensitive varies by location and circumstances.
Routine
A repair that affects normal use but is stable enough to schedule, such as a loose cabinet hinge, dripping faucet without active damage, damaged screen, or appliance issue where the lease assigns responsibility to the landlord.
“Routine” does not mean optional. Give the tenant a response date and keep the request moving.
Landlord acknowledgment template
Hi [tenant name], I received your maintenance request for [short description] at [property/unit] on [date]. I have marked it [priority]. The next step is [inspection/vendor call], and I expect to update you by [date/time]. If the condition changes, especially if you see [relevant warning signs], contact [emergency instruction/contact] immediately.
The acknowledgment proves the request was received and gives the tenant a clear next expectation.
Scheduling message template
Hi [tenant name], [vendor/name] is available on [date] between [window] to inspect or repair [issue]. Please confirm access arrangements. Any entry will be handled according to the lease and applicable notice requirements.
Avoid assuming that a maintenance request is blanket permission to enter at any time. Entry rules and emergencies vary by jurisdiction.
Completion message template
Hi [tenant name], [vendor/name] completed the following work on [date]: [work summary]. Please check the affected area and reply by [date] if the problem continues. I am marking the request complete, subject to your follow-up.
Close the loop in writing. A vendor invoice shows that work was billed; the completion record explains what was done and whether the reported condition stopped.
Maintenance tracking example
| Date | Event | Status | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 3, 9:10 a.m. | Tenant reports water under sink with photo | New—urgent | Call plumber |
| Aug. 3, 9:35 a.m. | Plumber scheduled for 1–3 p.m. | Scheduled | Confirm access |
| Aug. 3, 2:20 p.m. | Supply line replaced; cabinet dried | Monitoring | Tenant checks area |
| Aug. 5, 10:00 a.m. | Tenant confirms no additional water | Complete | Store invoice |
This timeline is much more useful than four unrelated text messages.
Common maintenance-request mistakes
No central intake channel
Requests arrive through calls, texts, social messages, and hallway conversations. Choose one primary channel and tell tenants how emergencies differ.
No acknowledgment
Silence makes tenants repeat requests and leaves the landlord without a shared timeline.
Status exists only in the landlord’s head
“I called someone” is not a trackable status. Record the vendor, date, appointment, and next update.
Closing without verification
A work order can be complete while the tenant’s problem continues. Ask for confirmation and reopen the request when necessary.
Mixing maintenance with rent disputes
Keep repair records factual and separate from payment conversations. Each issue deserves its own clear history.
One tenant record, not another message thread
Good maintenance tracking follows the same principle as good tenant communication: one consistent channel, clear expectations, and a retrievable history.
TenantHub is built for small landlords who want rent tracking, tenant messaging, and maintenance requests in one focused system. Start free and keep the next repair attached to the correct tenant and property from the first message.