What should a landlord record in a maintenance log for each rental unit?
Record the date, the unit, who reported the problem, what it was, who fixed it, what it cost, and where the invoice and photos are. One line per job is enough. A good log tells you which appliances keep failing, backs up your position in a dispute, and gives your tax preparer the repair and improvement details that IRS Publication 527 says to keep.
Ten fields, one line per job
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Date reported | Proves how fast you responded |
| Unit | Lets you see problems by unit |
| Reported by | Tenant, inspection or you |
| Description | What was wrong, in plain words |
| Priority | Emergency, urgent or routine |
| Date fixed | Proves the finish date |
| Vendor | Who did the work |
| Cost | Feeds your books and budget |
| Cause | Wear, tenant damage or defect |
| Link to invoice and photos | Backs up everything above |
The cause field is the one owners skip, and it matters most. If you can see that four toilets have run on the same flapper brand, you stop buying it.
Why the tax side cares
IRS Publication 527 says repair and maintenance costs may be deducted if you are not required to capitalize them, but you must capitalize an expense that improves the property. It adds: separate the costs of repairs and improvements, and keep accurate records, because you need the cost of improvements when you sell or depreciate. A log with the cost and a clear description makes that sorting simple at year end. See the routine maintenance safe harbor.
Why a dispute cares
- A tenant says a repair took weeks: your log shows the date reported and the date fixed.
- A tenant claims the landlord ignored a leak: your log shows the response.
- A deposit deduction is challenged: your log and photos show the condition and the cost.
- An insurer asks about maintenance history: you can answer with dates.
A log written at the time of the event carries more weight than memory months later. It also helps when you sell: a buyer's lender and inspector like to see a history of what was fixed and when, and a clean record can support your asking price. If you change managers, vendors or accounts, the log is the one thing that lets the next person pick up without calling you.
Read the log once a quarter
- Sort by unit and look for repeat problems.
- Sort by vendor and look for slow or costly ones.
- Add up cost by category: plumbing, HVAC, appliances.
- Decide which items to replace instead of repairing again.
Example a made-up owner sees four service calls to unit 3A in a year for the same dishwasher: $85, $110, $95 and $120. That is $410 on one appliance. A replacement costs a made-up $650, so the owner replaces it now rather than paying another visit.
Set one up in ten minutes
- Make a table with the ten fields above, one row per job.
- Back-fill the last six months from your email and invoices, so the first patterns show up right away.
- Ask vendors to include the unit number and date on every invoice, so matching is easy.
- Name photo files with the unit and date, such as 3A-2026-10-30-leak.jpg.
- Decide who updates it, and when: after every job, not at month end.
A log you update after each job is worth ten you plan to finish later. The effort is a minute per job.
How DoorKeeping handles it
Ask your Claude or ChatGPT, connected to DoorKeeping, to open a work order, send the vendor a job link and read the bill when it arrives. Each work order keeps its date, vendor and photos, and the vendor's bill is read and coded to the right expense account on the property's books. Anything that involves money or a legal step waits for your one-tap approval, and DoorKeeping costs $2 per unit per month with every feature included.
Sources
- IRS Publication 527, Residential Rental Property, read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- How long should I keep maintenance records?
- At least as long as your tax records, and longer for improvements you depreciate. Ask your tax preparer for your situation.
- Do I log tiny jobs like a light bulb?
- Not every one needs a line, but group small jobs by visit so the pattern is visible.
- Spreadsheet or software?
- Either works if you fill it in every time. A shared place that links the invoice is easier to trust.