How to communicate with contractors

Managing maintenance issues efficiently is one of the most important day-to-day responsibilities for property managers. Whether it’s responding to tenant repair requests, scheduling routine maintenance, or handling emergency breakdowns, clear and effective communication with contractors is key to keeping properties in top condition.

Without the right systems in place, communicating with contractors can quickly become a frustrating process - endless back-and-forth emails, missed appointments, and delays in resolving urgent issues can lead to unhappy tenants and unnecessary stress.

To help you streamline contractor communication and ensure maintenance tasks are completed smoothly, we’re breaking down the best strategies property managers can use to improve collaboration with their contractors.

Set Clear Expectations from the Start

The foundation of effective communication is clarity. When working with contractors, make sure you set clear expectations about:

• Scope of work: What exactly needs to be done? Are there specific materials, timelines, or processes to follow?
• Budget and approval process: Who authorises work, and what’s the limit before additional approval is needed?
• Communication channels: Should contractors update you via email, phone, or a property management platform?
• Response times: How quickly should contractors acknowledge new jobs or report progress?

Having these expectations in place from the outset minimises confusion and ensures both you and the contractor are aligned on how maintenance tasks should be handled.

Centralise All Communication in One Place

One of the biggest pain points for property managers is scattered communication - some updates come through email, others via WhatsApp, and some jobs are only discussed over the phone. This can lead to missed details, duplicated efforts, and delays in resolving maintenance issues.

A centralised communication hub allows you to track all contractor interactions in one place. Instead of chasing updates through multiple channels, you can:

• Assign jobs to contractors with all relevant details attached
• Track progress in real-time without needing to follow up manually
• Keep a full record of completed work for future reference

Using a property management platform like Concurrent, you can streamline contractor communication and manage all maintenance requests within one system. Contractors can receive work orders, provide updates, and submit invoices - all in a single platform, reducing administrative hassle.

Automate Work Orders & Approvals

Manually managing contractor jobs can be time-consuming and prone to delays. A tenant reports an issue, you send an email to a contractor, they get back to you days later, and by the time the job is completed, tenants have already followed up multiple times.

To speed up maintenance requests and approvals, property managers should look to automate work orders.

• Instant job assignments: Automatically generate and send work orders to pre-approved contractors
• Pre-set approval thresholds: Allow minor repairs to be actioned immediately without manual sign-off
• Automatic updates: Receive real-time status updates on maintenance progress

With Concurrent’s maintenance dashboard, you can automate work orders, track contractor responses, and approve jobs with just a few clicks - eliminating delays and reducing the need for constant back-and-forth communication.

Ensure Contractors Provide Detailed Job Updates

To keep maintenance jobs on track, encourage contractors to provide structured progress updates. This avoids vague responses like "in progress" and helps you keep tenants informed.

A simple way to standardise communication is by requesting contractors to follow a format like:

• Job acknowledged" Confirm receipt of work order and estimated start date
• Job started: Update when work begins
• In-progress issues: Flag if additional materials, approvals, or rescheduling are required
• Job completed: Provide confirmation with before/after photos and an invoice

Concurrent allows contractors to update job statuses directly within the platform, so you always have full visibility over ongoing maintenance work. This reduces the need for constant follow-ups and ensures you have a clear audit trail of completed jobs.

Keep Tenants in the Loop

When tenants report maintenance issues, they expect timely updates—but without a structured process in place, they often feel left in the dark. If they have to chase for updates repeatedly, it can negatively impact their renting experience.

To improve tenant communication:

• Acknowledge requests immediately: Let tenants know their issue has been received and is being actioned
• Provide estimated timelines: Even if a job isn’t completed yet, giving a timeframe reassures tenants
• Send automatic status updates: Reduce manual emails by using a system that updates tenants automatically when a job progresses

With Concurrent’s maintenance feature, you can keep tenants informed without additional admin. When a contractor provides an update, the system automatically notifies tenants—so they’re always aware of what’s happening.

Build Strong Contractor Relationships

Good communication isn’t just about processes - it’s also about building strong relationships with your contractors. A positive working relationship can lead to:

• Faster response times when you need urgent work completed
• More flexibility on scheduling and pricing
• Greater accountability for quality workmanship

Regularly check in with your contractors, give constructive feedback, and maintain a professional yet friendly rapport to foster long-term partnerships.

Streamline Maintenance & Contractor Communication with Concurrent

Managing maintenance doesn’t have to be a hassle. By using the right tools, property managers can improve communication with contractors, speed up repairs, and keep tenants satisfied - all while reducing admin work.

Concurrent’s maintenance dashboard provides an end-to-end solution for managing contractor communication, from work order automation to real-time job tracking.

Save time. Reduce manual admin. Keep tenants happy.

Book a demo today to see how Concurrent can simplify your maintenance management.