According to Buildium’s 2025 industry report, maintenance is the number one source of stress for Property Manangers.¹ Their study shows that tenants are asking for better and faster maintenance services. But the problem is this: “Experienced maintenance workers are in short supply.”
While other kinds of property professionals like leasing agents became less in-demand in 2024, maintenance staff jobs keep increasing. The National Apartment Association reports that openings for maintenance technicians increased by 0.8%, while openings for maintenance supervisors jumped by 3.1%.²
This shows just how much the industry still needs more highly qualified maintenance teams just to meet owner expectations today. Otherwise, property management companies risk losing their residents at a higher rate.
This article talks about the crucial role of a skilled maintenance team in ensuring resident retention.
Why Having Skilled Maintenance Staff Is Important for Retaining Residents
When it comes to tenant retention, property management companies often focus on offering competitive discounts or improving their customer service.
But property managers can also overlook the massive impact of their maintenance team on residents’ day-to-day experiences. In the property management industry, a satisfying everyday experience is what makes tenants stay.
Here are some reasons why resident retention depends heavily on skilled and experienced professionals rather than just any kind of maintenance employee.
The Quality of Your Maintenance Workers Reflects the Quality of Your Units
In property management, the quality of a unit is the top priority for residents, and this quality depends a lot on the skills of your maintenance team. Any certified maintenance worker can do basic repairs, but in some cases, worker experience can be the difference between a loyal tenant and a dissatisfied one.
All kinds of maintenance work—repairs, construction, inspections, or structural reinforcements—are in the hands of your repair workers. They’re the experts in this area, not the leasing agents or admin staff.
Agents may do a great job in marketing properties. But in the end, the maintenance team ensures the quality of the units, which keeps residents loyal to your company.
Skilled Maintenance Personnel Reduce Complaints with Preventive and Long-Term Solutions
One of the major causes of tenant frustration and complaints is maintenance issues that keep returning due to low-quality services. More skilled workers prevent this problem with a preventive and long-term approach.
For example, a skilled technician can find the root cause of a plumbing problem instead of focusing only on surface-level issues. On the other hand, someone with less experience might settle for a quick fix. A few weeks later, the problem comes back, causing higher costs for both the company and the tenant.
Skilled personnel don’t just wait for damage reports. They do regular inspections and focus on the big picture of maintenance problems. They spot early signs of trouble and do the needed treatments even before tenants experience any inconvenience. This approach benefits tenants and the company by avoiding expensive repairs in the long run.
Skilled Maintenance Workers Can Do Maintenance Tasks Faster
Buildium’s report states, “residents’ expectations for quick maintenance fixes are higher than ever.”
Today may not be all about simply getting things fixed. Because people and work now move at a very fast pace, residents cannot afford to wait for maintenance tasks to finish. They don’t have time to wait for drywall, electricity, or plumbing repairs to get done before they do their regular business.
At the same time, if your maintenance team is skilled enough to satisfy resident expectations on speed, your tenants will more likely feel that they’re your top priority, which makes them stay longer.
Skilled Maintenance Professionals Help Justify Rising Maintenance Costs to Residents
According to Buildium’s report, property management companies also struggle to deal with tenants who complain about expensive maintenance costs. While the prices of materials and labor keep going up, it’s another challenge to explain to tenants why their maintenance repair bills are more expensive than before.
If you have skilled maintenance teams, this problem can be easier for your company. Here’s why:
- Skilled maintenance professionals are more trustworthy when it comes to technical explanations. They are better equipped to clearly explain the reasons behind rising costs.
- Residents are more likely to trust that they’re getting their money’s worth when experts are doing the job. It’s easier to convince tenants that the high labor costs are valid because you have qualified professionals.
- Skilled workers are often more efficient and spend less time on each maintenance task. In the long run, this reduces labor expenses, helping lower the overall maintenance expenses passed on to residents.
Maintenance Teams Represent Your Brand Just as Much as Leasing Agents
Leasing agents and customer service representatives are usually the main employees who talk directly to tenants. However, many forget that maintenance personnel have regular face-to-face contact with clients.
These interactions might be more personal and crucial because repair workers enter people’s kitchens, bathrooms, and other intimate spaces. So, how they deal with tenants significantly affects how residents see your entire property management company.
Your leasing agents may be polite and professional. But one bad experience with a technician can change a resident’s opinion of the whole company. The best maintenance workers aren’t just good with technical work—they also have strong people skills that help increase loyalty among tenants.
How to Build a Skilled Maintenance Department that Boosts Resident Retention
Here are a few suggestions for creating a skilled team of maintenance professionals that can help you improve loyalty among your tenants:
1. Hire for Both Technical and Communication Skills
In hiring maintenance professionals, many property management recruiters often focus on hard skills, such as HVAC, plumbing, construction, and legal compliance. But because these employees affect tenant retention as they interact with residents regularly, you should also hire based on skills like communication, empathy, and collaboration.
To do this, consider using role-playing scenarios in your hiring process. Ask candidates how they usually do repairs and how they answer questions from tenants.
2. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits Packages
Better skills come with better compensation. If you want to attract the most skilled professionals in the job market, consider including not just higher salaries but also a more well-rounded package in your job descriptions.
Compare your compensation package regularly to competitors’ and industry standards. Then, beyond salary, consider benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and performance bonuses to make your offer more attractive.
3. Provide Training to Your Current Maintenance Team
You don’t have to rely too much on the job market. Your current team already has great potential because they know your company and tenants.
If you want them to have the necessary hard and soft skills to help with tenant retention, you can try developing workshops, certifications, and mentorship programs for your maintenance team.
4. Use Technology to Streamline Your Maintenance Program
Using maintenance management software can make your team work more efficiently, addressing the fast-paced needs of tenants today.
For example, instead of paper forms or phone calls, a resident can submit a repair request through an app that immediately notifies your team. You can also use special software to remind staff to check air filters every few months or inspect water heaters before winter.
5. Partner with a Trusted Staffing Company
If skilled maintenance vendors are what you need, you won’t go wrong by partnering with a staffing agency that specializes in the real estate industry.
These companies are built to provide candidates who have already been filtered for their skills and experiences. They will match the right professionals with what you need, making getting qualified maintenance employees much more effortless.
Need help getting skilled maintenance professionals? The Liberty Group is here for you!
The Liberty Group is a leading staffing agency specializing in the property management industry since 1977. With us, you get pre-vetted professionals ready to contribute to your tenant retention goals. From HVAC technicians and maintenance assistants to lead maintenance officers and supervisors, we’re here to provide you with the best property management staffing needs you can get.
Contact us today to start building your skilled maintenance team!
References:
- “Apartment Labor Market Dynamics Report: Q3 2024.” National Apartment Association, 6 Nov. 2024, naahq.org/apartment-labor-market-dynamics-report-q3-2024.
- 2025 Property Management Industry Report. Buildium, Oct. 2024, www.buildium.com/resource/2025-property-management-industry-report/.