Maintenance request form
One sheet for the whole repair: what the tenant reported and when, when you went in, who fixed it, what it cost, and whose fault it was. The dates on it are the evidence if the repair is ever disputed.
Pre-filled with a worked example. The tenant fills Part A; you complete Part B and the work log.
Maintenance request and work log
Work log (date, what happened, who)
Preview
MAINTENANCE REQUEST PART A: TENANT'S REQUEST Tenant: Dana Whitfield Contact: (555) 010-0187 Property: 1412 Ashgrove Ave, Unit 2 Reported: 12 November 2026, 8:10am Urgency: Urgent Location: Kitchen, cabinet under the sink Problem: Slow leak from the drain pipe joint; cabinet floor is wet. Noticed last night. Permission to enter: Yes, weekdays after 10am; dog will be crated Tenant signature: ____________________ PART B: LANDLORD'S RESPONSE Received: 12 November 2026 Entry scheduled: 13 November 2026, about 11am Repair by: Ridgeline Plumbing Completed: 13 November 2026 Cost: $185.00 Cause: Wear (worn slip-joint washer) WORK LOG - 12 Nov, 9:05am: called tenant, asked them to keep a bowl under the joint; written entry notice left at the door. - 13 Nov, 11:20am: plumber replaced washer and tail piece; cabinet floor dried, no swelling. Photos taken. Landlord: M. Reyes Signature: ____________________ Tenant confirms repair complete: ____________________ Date: __________ Keep a copy with the tenancy file. A copy goes to the tenant.
For gas smells, flooding, sparking wiring or a fire risk, the tenant calls you (or the emergency services) first; the form is the record that follows.
Why repair requests should be in writing
Most disputes about repairs come down to two dates: when the landlord was told, and when it was fixed. A text message thread can prove the first, but it rarely proves the second, and it never shows the cost or the cause. This sheet captures all four in one place.
California is a good example of why the first date matters. If a landlord does not fix a defect that makes the unit untenantable within a reasonable time of notice, the tenant may repair it and deduct the cost from rent, up to one month's rent and no more than twice in 12 months. A tenant who acts after the 30th day following notice is presumed to have waited a reasonable time (Civ. Code § 1942, checked 2026-10-18). Other states have their own repair rules; check your statute.
Accept requests any way they arrive
California's rule runs from "written or oral notice", so a phone call counts. If a tenant phones or texts, fill in Part A yourself with the date and time they told you, and send them a copy.
Sorting requests by urgency
| Urgency | Typical examples | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Gas smell, active flooding, sparking or burning smell, sewage backing up, a door that will not lock | Act now. Log the call; the form follows. |
| Urgent | No heat or hot water, a leak under a sink, the only toilet not working, fridge failed | Schedule promptly with a written entry notice. |
| Routine | Dripping tap, sticking door, loose cabinet hinge, a dead bulb in a fixed light | Batch with other jobs and give notice as usual. |
These are working categories, not legal ones. Your state may set its own deadlines for heat, water or other essential services.
Getting in to make the repair
A repair request is not a blank key. You still need to give notice before you enter, unless it is an emergency. In California the written notice must give the date, approximate time and purpose of the entry, and 24 hours is presumed reasonable. A tenant can also agree to an entry for an agreed repair, but the agreement must set a date and approximate time within one week, and no notice is needed to respond to an emergency (Civ. Code § 1954, checked 2026-10-18).
That is why the form has a permission line in Part A and an entry date in Part B. The full entry rules are in landlord right of entry.
How to use the form
- 01Give every tenant a blank copy at move-in with the lease, and tell them where to send it.
- 02When a request comes in, write the date received the same day, even before you have a plan.
- 03Add a work log line for every call, visit and quote. Photograph the problem before and after.
- 04Record the cause honestly. "Wear" is your cost; "tenant-caused" may be theirs.
- 05Ask the tenant to sign that the repair is done, and file the sheet with the tenancy.
From the repair log to the move-out
At move-out, the log answers the question every deposit dispute asks: was this damage already there, and whose fault was it? A sink cabinet logged as "wear" in year one cannot become a deduction in year three. A hole logged as tenant-caused and left unrepaired can. Bring the file to the move-out inspection, then price what is left in the deduction calculator. The line between wear and damage is set out in security deposit deductions.
Repair costs are also a running expense of the rental. Keep the cost column, because it feeds the cash flow calculator and your tax deductions at year end.
In a home built before 1978, note how much painted surface a repair disturbs. Interior work above 6 square feet per room, or exterior work above 20 square feet, falls under EPA's renovation rule, and jobs in the same room within 30 days count as one (40 CFR 745.83, checked 2026-10-18). See the lead paint disclosure form.
Sources read for this page
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1942checked 2026-10-18
- Cal. Civ. Code § 1954checked 2026-10-18
- 40 CFR part 745 subpart Echecked 2026-10-18