If you want to use a home warranty, we strongly recommend that you use our favorite representative at Old Republic to set that up. We will be happy to refer you to her (and no, we don't get any kick backs for this). Using the right warranty company and the right representative can make the difference between horrible repair service that ends up costing you more, or reasonable service that can actually help minimize your repair costs.
Typically, we do NOT recommend using home warranties for rental properties. Generally, warranty companies are notorious for taking way too long to get repairs done, often requiring multiple visits to the property. They are also notorious for not getting bigger ticket items fixed correctly, if at all.
However, the process goes like this: The tenant calls us and we start a work order. Not all events will be covered by a home warranty. If not, we will send it to one of our trusted vendors for normal repair service. You or your tenant will pay the deductible, depending on lease terms. Each contract is a bit different so please make sure you are clear on the terms. If you have a warranty before we place a tenant, we will need to know this up front so we can handle repairs accordingly.
We may charge a $40 administrative fee to deal with home warranty calls because this takes up a lot of extra staff time. Most home warranties are not recommended, except Old Republic. If you have ever had to deal with a home warranty company taking weeks to get a repair completed, you will understand why we don't recommend them!
Be advised: If a home warranty company takes too long to fix an item, we will exercise the right to skip the warranty company and get the item repaired at your cost. At that point, you can submit your invoice to the warranty company to see if they will reimburse you. Our real estate and property management licenses require us to ensure necessary items are repaired in a timely manner. Waiting days or weeks for a warranty company to do something will put you and our company at risk. It is our job to protect your property and you, so we won't wait too long. We will notify you via email if this is happening.