Free Maintenance Request Form: Work Order Request with Completion Section, Tenant Maintenance Request, and a Work Order Log (PDF, Word, Excel)

What is on the maintenance request form

Location and asset number

The exact place (building, floor, room, which unit) and the asset or equipment number if it has one. Vague locations waste the technician's first trip.

Type and priority

What kind of problem and how urgent: emergency (safety risk, act now), urgent (within 24 hours), routine (this week) or planned.

Completion and cost

What was done, parts and labor with quantity and unit cost. Excel multiplies and totals.

Permission to enter

On the tenant form, whether the tenant allows entry when they are out, plus pets and alarm notes.

Status and open

On the log, where each request stands, and a 1 for each that is still open so the total shows the backlog.

A simple work order process

Anyone who spots a problem fills in a request, or reception fills it in for them. Each request gets a number and a priority and goes on the work order log. The maintenance person or contractor gets the form, fixes the problem, fills in the completion section with the work done, parts and hours, and signs. The requester confirms it's fixed and the log entry is closed with the cost. Emergencies (gas smell, flooding, no heat in winter, a broken lock on an outside door, anything electrical that sparks) are phoned in first and written up afterwards. Record any injury on the incident report form.

Maintenance requests for rental properties

For landlords, a written request protects both sides. It shows when the tenant reported the problem which matters because many states set time limits for essential repairs and give tenants remedies if they aren't met. Ask tenants to describe the problem and send photos, say whether you may enter if they're out, and mention pets and alarms. Most states require landlords to give reasonable notice before entering, often 24 hours, except in emergencies; write the notice you gave on the form. Keep the completed form in the tenant file. If the damage was caused by the tenant, note it and refer to the lease.

Using the log to plan maintenance

A month of work orders shows more than a pile of forms: which equipment keeps breaking, how long repairs take, how much is spent and how many jobs are still open. Repeated requests for the same thing point to a replacement rather than another repair, and a growing backlog points to the need for more hands or a contractor. Combine the log with a preventive schedule, like the home maintenance schedule for houses or a service plan for HVAC and fire equipment, and many emergency calls never happen.

Editing the files

The PDFs are fillable; tenants can type and email them. The Excel work order form totals parts and labor, and the log totals costs and open jobs. Add your company or property name, emergency line and work order numbering in Word.

Questions

What should a maintenance request form include?

Who is requesting, the exact location, the type of problem, priority, a description, the best time for the work, and a completion section for the work done, parts, labor, cost and sign-off.

What is a work order?

A numbered record of a maintenance job, from the request through assignment and completion, including the work done and the cost.

How quickly must a landlord make repairs?

It depends on the state and the type of repair. Essential services like heat, water and safety issues usually must be fixed quickly; check your state's landlord-tenant law.

Can a landlord enter without the tenant home?

Usually with proper notice, often 24 hours, or in an emergency. Rules vary by state; record permission and notice on the form.

Does the form calculate costs?

Yes. The Excel version multiplies quantity by unit cost and totals parts and labor; the log totals all costs.