How to Use Latchel for Maintenance Requests

Baselane has partnered with Latchel, a leading maintenance service provider, to streamline the process of handling repairs by connecting you with local contractors. This guide will walk you through managing maintenance requests within Baselane's Properties tab.

Accessing maintenance requests:

1. Navigate to the Properties tab within your Baselane account and select Manage Maintenance Requests.
2. Select the property experiencing the issue from the drop-down menu and click Get Started. 

Describing the issue:

1. If vendors are available in your area, you will be requested to describe the issue (be as detailed as possible).
2. Select the appropriate repair category from the list provided.
3. Add photos of the issue (optional).

Confirming maintenance details (point of contact/date/time):

1. Re-confirm the property address where the repair is requested and select the preferred date and time from the drop-down menu.
   
   
   
   
2. Add the primary contact for coordinating budget approvals and scheduling details.
   
   
   
   
3. Add resident details for scheduling purposes only (optional). This means the contractor will contact the tenant/resident to schedule and confirm the appointment.
   
   

Setting the budget:

A minimum budget of $125 is required, but you can set a higher limit to avoid delays and expedite the repair process.  Repairs costing less than your budget limit will be completed when the technician visits the property.

If the cost exceeds the budget, the technician will submit an estimate for your approval within Baselane's maintenance request tab. Technicians may contact you on-site for quick approval to start work. 

Submitting a payment:

1. To secure the job, enter your credit card details (the only accepted payment method).
2. Once payment details are entered, click Book Contractor.

Note: The credit card on file will only be charged if the repair has been completed. If the repair budget has increased after the technician has reviewed the scope of work, they will send a new estimate for you to review and approve before work can be completed. If you choose not to proceed, the technician may invoice a visit fee. 

Confirmation:

Latchel will match your request to a technician as quickly as possible. A service appointment will be confirmed within 24 hours via text. A new technician may be matched if they can book an appointment sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to contact support for Latchel?

If you are experiencing any issues, please contact the Latchel support team directly by email at lcdsupport@latchel.com.

How long should it take for a job to show a scheduled date with a repair technician?

It will normally take less than 24 hours for us to confirm a scheduled date for a submitted repair. In some areas with less coverage, this process can take up to 72 hours. At the 72-hour mark, we send an automated SMS to the landlord, letting them know we are unable to schedule a technician for the job. The widget will also update to a canceled status at that time.

What happens if a technician misses a service appointment?

Both the landlord and contractor have each other’s information to coordinate in the case of a missed appointment. The contractors are required to update Latchel regularly so the widget will update when an appointment is rescheduled. 

If a landlord is unable to reach a contractor and the contractor has missed their appointment, the landlord should use the Get Help button in the Latchel widget to contact the Latchel team for help. In these cases, we will attempt to contact the contractor to find out what happened. Depending on the reason for missing the appointment, we may reassign the contractor.

How do landlords accept or reject an estimate?

From inside the Latchel widget, landlords can review work estimates and click on the Accept or Decline button. If they accept the estimate, the budget limit will be increased to the new limit, and the contractor will schedule a new work appointment. If they decline the estimate, the contractor will submit an invoice for the visit fee.