What’s My Job?

A renter’s role when it comes to roofing repair

Renting, in many circumstances, offers a variety of attractive benefits over owning. This is true whether you rent a home or a business; the responsibilities of ownership are somewhat alleviated, and you have the luxury of a landlord who takes care of the property. However, the lines between a renter’s and landlord’s responsibility when it comes to basic maintenance is a gray area. The rental agreement will offer some clarity, but in case of an emergency, such as a roofing problem, you may wonder what you can do to get the job completed promptly.

Can I Do it Myself?

Roofing repair on a rental property is not do-it-yourself work for a renter. The liability issues, building code challenges, possibility of further damage, and questions of ownership all rule out this approach. Of course, your landlord may not consider the repair needs as a do-it-yourself job for himself either, and will instead turn to a local roofing contractor (such as Adams Roofing Professionals).

Repairs are generally categorized in one of two ways:

Habitability or Essential Services—requires immediate attention to keep the property habitable
Cosmetic Issues—superficial damage or problem that does not affect the habitability of the property

A roofing issue falls under habitability or essential service repairs. After calling to let your landlord know of your concerns, follow up with a written letter for clarity.

Communication is Key

Since your landlord does not occupy the property as regularly as you do, any issue that needs attention will most likely be noticed by you first. If you are the first to notice some deterioration of your Naperville property’s roof, call your landlord! Communicate with him, and leave the course of action in his hands.

Flexibility

The landlord will certainly want to promptly address any issue that affects the value of a Naperville property. After all, property maintenance will benefit him as well as you. After your notification, expect the landlord will reach out to roofing contractors to arrange on-site inspections for estimates.

Be flexible in accommodating the landlord’s and contractors’ needs. Know that the contractors will need access to the residence or building, and that your help at this point can be invaluable. Show them the damaged areas and any issues that resulted from the damage (such as water stains, mold growth, or damage to gutters).

Oversight

In most cases, contractors are able to complete the project without disrupting the normal flow of home life or business. As a renter, you may request that the repair work is scheduled during normal work hours.

Adams Roofing is a full-service family-owned and operated company. As GAF Master Elite contractors, we can be depended on for quality and professional roof repair services. When you have a roof emergency or need an inspection done, contact Adams Roofing Professionals.

I wanted to let you know about an experience I had with one of your employees. I live at 1200 Knottingham Court in Kingsport Estates and apparently, your company is servicing our condo association. My building has had a leak in the entryway for several months and Eddie was dispatched out to have me show him the source of the leak inside. I met him on Friday, September 21st and just wanted to tell you how impressed I was with his friendliness and professionalism. He immediately found the source of the leak and even went up on the roof to show me. He assured me that someone would take care of it as soon as possible and told me he would give the report priority to avoid any further damage. As someone who used to be in Customer Service, I always value a company that hires people that are not only skilled at their trade, but also skilled at interacting with people. Eddie is a great example of that and I wanted you to know so you could tell him what a great job he does! I am so glad that Alma Management chose Adams Roofing to be our roofing contractor!... [more]

Jeremy Q, CMCA, AMS

Adams Roofing has a great team to work perfectly with condo and townhome Associations. We are currently in the middle of a 6 year, 49 building tear-off project. Adams works hand in hand with the engineers, delivers according to the specifications, and provides great customer service to the homeowners and management team.... [more]

Sue T.

Good Afternoon, I am writing to you on behalf of the Mission Hills M-8 Association. I would like to tell you how happy we are with the work that you completed for our Association. Your supervisor Eddie was great. We liked his professionalism and his work ethic. He kept us informed, and delivered on all his promises. Please make sure that any other jobs you do for us include him. Best regards, Joey Mission Hills Management... [more]

Brett K.

Charlie, Thanks very much for replacing the gutter! No one has been out to do it, at least before I left for work this morning. But I will definitely let you know whether it’s done correctly. I am very satisfied with your roofing job. It looks great, and more importantly, there were no leaks when it rained (even though we haven’t gotten really hard rains yet). So, I have been very pleased with my experience with Adams, especially with the professionalism and responsiveness of you and Dan. Thanks.... [more]

Keith M.

I wanted to take a moment to comment on your technician, Eddie. Eddie was assigned to inspect a roof leak I am having in my home in Cobblestone Circle. He was prompt, professional, courteous and informative; everything a customer could ask for when inviting a contractor into their home. Eddie represents Adams Roofing Well; and clearly he is an asset to your company. Kudos to him! Thank you.... [more]

Rick H.