The Top 3 Rental Maintenance Headaches And How to Avoid Them

If you're a landlord or property manager, you already know that maintenance calls can eat up your time and profit. But did you know that the same three issues keep popping up over and over again?

At Carolina Property Management, we manage a lot of rental homes and year after year, we keep seeing the same top three maintenance problems. Knowing this can save you thousands in repairs and hours of frustration.

Here are the three most common maintenance requests we get and what you can do to reduce the headaches:

1. Garbage Disposals Just Say No

Hands down, garbage disposals cause the most maintenance calls. They sound convenient, but in reality, they’re one of the worst things to include in a rental.

Tenants accidentally put the wrong things down on them all the time: bones, grease, eggshells, coins, toys, silverware and that leads to clogs, broken units, or even plumbing backups. One bad move and you’re calling a plumber. Again.

Our advice? Skip it. If your unit already has a disposal, remove it during the next turnover. If it doesn’t have one, don’t install one. It’s not worth the cost or the hassle. Pro tip: Install a simple basket strainer in the sink instead. Cheap, effective, and almost zero maintenance.

2. Dishwashers Small Machines, Big Problems

Dishwashers are another top offender. They’re great when they work, but when they don’t, they can leak, overflow, or simply stop cleaning properly. And you know what? Most tenants will still call about it even if it’s something small, like food in the filter or using the wrong detergent.

For rentals under a certain price point, say, $1,500 or less per month, you may want to weigh whether it’s worth including one at all. If you do, make sure it’s a basic, reliable model — no fancy touchscreens or Wi-Fi. The simpler, the better. If you include a dishwasher, leave a simple laminated instruction card to help tenants avoid common mistakes.

3. HVAC Issues The Costliest of Them All

The third most common and usually most expensive maintenance issue? Heating and air conditioning.

Here’s the thing: tenants don’t always change filters, and they don’t always notice signs of a problem until it’s too late. That means breakdowns happen at the worst possible times, like the coldest day of winter or the hottest weekend in July.

The best way to protect your HVAC system (and your wallet) is preventive maintenance. Schedule regular seasonal service (let Carolina Property Management know and we will coordinate biannual service) and change filters every 1–3 months — even if it means doing it yourself or hiring someone to do it. Don’t leave it up to the tenant. At Carolina Property Management, we have filters delivered to our residents and since they are mailed directly to them and the resident is paying for them, they change their filters!

Final Thoughts: Know What Breaks and Plan for It

The truth is, owning rental property is a business, and like any business, you have to think strategically. The more you simplify, the fewer things can go wrong and when you already know the three biggest troublemakers: disposals, dishwashers, and HVAC you can plan ahead and make smarter choices when setting up your units.

At the end of the day, your goal is to maximize profit, minimize stress, and keep tenants happy. And that starts with less maintenance, not more.

So next time you're updating a unit, ask yourself: