When considering the amenities of apartment living, there’s a lot to be said for onsite maintenance. Being able to have a wide range of plumbing problems, cosmetic issues, and faulty appliances repaired free of charge is one of the biggest advantages renting has over homeownership. Unfortunately, not every superintendent is equally accommodating. In fact, nearly every longtime apartment dweller has at least one horror story about a super who’s lazy, unskilled, unreliable or any combination thereof. If you suspect your super is all bluster and no follow-through, keep an eye out for the following signs.
Is Consistently Unreachable
Few things are more frustrating than trying to get in touch with a super who’s made a point of avoiding you. In fairness, many superintendents have busy schedules. In a given day, they tackle jobs that range from unclogging drains to replacing rusted pipes. However, this doesn’t mean that your super has the right to blow you off. If you’ve made numerous unsuccessful attempts at submitting a work order, there’s a good chance your super is actively avoiding you because he or she doesn’t want to begin the job in question.
Anyone searching for 2 bedroom apartments in Omaha, Nebraska should carefully read each building’s policies on maintenance. This will ensure that new residents know exactly what to expect from their respective supers – and what actions to take when they ignore their duties.
Does Shoddy Work
Instead of avoiding residents outright, some supers just do shoddy work. If a specific problem persists despite being repeatedly “fixed,” there’s a good chance your super is either unqualified to handle this type of job or simply doesn’t wish to put forth the time or effort required to do it right. Instead of definitively repairing persistent issues, these supers continuously place band-aids on them and hope that residents won’t notice. In some instances, this approach to maintenance can actually compound problems rather than make them better.
Makes Empty Promises
Unqualified supers are notorious for making empty promises. If your super doesn’t show up as scheduled once or twice, it generally means that he or she got tied up with other jobs. However, if this pattern continues for weeks – or even months – you’re being actively avoided. This type of super always has an excuse up their sleeve, but there are limits to how long these excuses can work. If a substantial amount of time passes without any attention being given to your issue, get in touch with your landlord and arrange to have a qualified maintenance professional tackle the problem. This type of super will play you for as long as they’re able to get away with it, so instead of falling into their endless loop of empty promises, simply take matters into your own hands.
Knowing that any maintenance issues one encounters will be repaired free of charge can provide apartment dwellers with tremendous peace of mind. Regrettably, the actual repair process isn’t always this simple. Many buildings are home to supers who are either unable or unwilling to carry out their job duties. Apartment residents who suspect their super may be a dud should carefully consider the traits discussed above.