We have a few clients who purchased home warranties, and we often get questions about them. Since we work with quite a few warranty companies, we know how they work. Today, we’re explaining what they are and why you might want to avoid them with your rental property.
How a Home Warranty Works
A home warranty company will promise to cover mechanical items in your home. These include the plumbing, electrical systems, appliances, and HVAC. You pay a monthly fee plus a deductible when you have a claim. All of this is pre-negotiated. Someone will come out to your home, diagnose the issue, and then fix it. The vendor will collect your deductible and tell you what is covered and what isn’t. You’ll receive a work proposal with the covered charges listed as well as those costs that aren’t covered by the warranty.
Home Warranty Timelines
It often takes home warranty companies a week to get someone out to your property. Depending on the authorization that’s needed and the parts that are required, it can be two to six weeks before your problem is fully resolved. In our experience, there’s a lot that isn’t covered. Many times, you have to pay more out of pocket than just your deductible. If you have a problem, it takes some time to get in touch with the warranty company. You might find yourself on the phone for up to two hours, and the people you talk to can’t always help you.
Home Warranties May Cost you More
We don’t recommend using a home warranty. Some are better than others but in the end, your warranty ends up costing you more. There’s so much in the fine print that’s not covered. It takes too long for the issue to be resolved, and that creates a bad experience for the tenant. They can get angry and stop paying rent or file a rent escrow case. Or, they’ll just move out, and it will cost you more in the end. If you work with a property manager, you’ll have access to their list of reliable, trusted vendors who can quickly fix problems.
If you have any questions about home warranties, please contact us at Real Property Management Gold.
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