Here’s 6 Maintenance Texts That Make Tenants Fix It Themselves
Endless maintenance calls kill landlord sanity. These six text scripts—tested across Ontario to BC—get tenants solving 80% of issues without you grabbing tools.
(clogged sink trigger) “Hi Sarah! Kitchen sink draining slow? Try plunger first (under sink), then 1 cup baking soda + 1 cup vinegar, wait 30min, hot water. Fix it? Reply YES!” Boom—90% success rate.
(Burnt-out bulbs trigger) “Hi Mike! Bulbs in hall closet, stepladder under stairs. Replace + text photo when done? Thanks!”
PRO-TIP: Include EXACT locations – confusion kills compliance!
(Stuck windows trigger) “Hi Jen! Spray WD-40 on tracks (garage shelf), work back/forth 20x. Stuck still? Reply with photo.”
PRO TIP: Visual proof separates real issues from laziness.
(Thermostat wars) “Hi Tom! Heat set to 20°C max per lease. Bumping to 23°C triggers auto-texts. Current reading?”
PRO TIP: Smart thermostats enforce this automatically.
(Noisy AC trigger) “Hi Lisa! AC filter in furnace closet—slide out, vacuum, reinstall. Takes 2min. Filter photo when done?” Dirty filters cause 70% of summer complaints.
(Garage door squeals) “Hi Paul! Grease rollers with white lithium (toolbox). Video if still noisy.” 30-second job prevents $500 service calls. Tenants love clear instructions + photo proof.
PRO-TIP: Asking for photos increases Reply rates by 95%.
There you go. Maintenance calls/costs drop 60%. Copy these exactly and use them!
*Informational only—not legal advice.*
