Why You’re Still Getting Maintenance Requests Without Enough Info (And how to fix it without lifting a finger)

The Frustration Is Real

It always starts the same way:

“The AC isn’t working.”
“My sink is leaking.”
“Something’s wrong with the fridge.”

But that’s all the info you get. Now you're chasing residents down for the brand, model, location, symptoms, photos… before your team can even begin the repair. It's a waste of time, and it delays resolution for everyone.

The real question is: why does this keep happening—and how can you stop it?

Residents Aren’t Lazy—They Just Don’t Know What You Need

Most residents aren’t trying to make your job harder. They simply don’t know what’s important to include in a maintenance request. To them, saying “The dishwasher’s broken” feels like enough. But as property managrers we know better.

What your team actually needs:

• Brand and model (or a photo of the tag)
• A description of the issue
• When it started
• Whether it’s happened before
• Access instructions if the resident won't be home

Without that info, work orders get stuck in a game of phone tag.

Maintenance Staff Waste Time Diagnosing Basics

Your best techs shouldn’t have to spend the first 15 minutes of every call just figuring out what they’re even there for. Missing details cost time, money, and morale—especially on after-hours or emergency calls.

More back-and-forth = more frustrated teams and residents.

You Can’t Solve the Problem with a Form

Yes, you can try to force residents into filling out long forms. But guess what?

• Most won’t do it.
• Some will still just write “AC not working.”
• And others will just call you instead.

What you need is a system that automatically collects the right info—without making the resident think too hard.

How TenantText Fixes This Automatically

TenantText’s intelligent assistant, Charlie, handles maintenance requests via text. But instead of stopping at “AC not working,” Charlie follows up—just like a seasoned property manager would.

Example conversation:

Resident: The AC isn’t working
Charlie: Got it! Is it blowing air at all, or is it completely off?
Charlie: Can you tell me the brand and model (or send a quick photo)?
Charlie: Any error lights or sounds?

Charlie builds a work-ready request, customized to your workflow and even cross-referencing known appliances when available.

The Result?

✅ Fewer vague requests
✅ Faster repairs
✅ Less staff burnout
✅ Happier residents

Want to stop chasing down the basics?

Let Charlie handle it!

👉 Try Charlie for $1 — see how he can streamline your maintenance requests

📅 Book a Demo to see how TenantText can help!