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Everything you need to know about maintenance requests in Propra

Karyn Millar avatar
Written by Karyn Millar
Updated over a week ago

Maintenance Requests in Propra — Complete Guide

Maintenance requests (or work orders) help you manage issues that arise in rental properties in an organized, transparent way. A maintenance request documents a tenant’s reported issue, tracks who is assigned to fix it, allows you to record costs and bill appropriately, and provides proof of work done — all while keeping communication clear between tenants, property managers, and owners.

Maintenance requests are essential for:

  • Timely resolution of issues that affect property condition or tenant satisfaction

  • Creating a traceable history of repairs, which is useful for legal or compliance purposes

  • Assigning and tracking work for staff and contractors

  • Accurate accounting of vendor costs and tenant charges

  • Reducing disputes by documenting what was done, when, and by whom

Why Maintenance Requests Are Done

Building operations involve ongoing work like plumbing repairs, electrical issues, appliance replacements, pest control, and routine servicing. Maintenance requests provide a centralized way to:

  • Receive issue reports from tenants or managers

  • Capture photos and details up front via Smart Templates

  • Assign operators or vendors

  • Track status and timelines

  • Capture costs accurately into accounting

  • Share appropriate information with tenants and owners

In Propra, maintenance requests create a documented, systematic workflow for all of this.

Canadian Provincial Guidelines

While each province/territory has its own landlord–tenant legislation, there are common themes that relate to inspections and maintenance:
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🏛️ General Principles Across Most Provinces

  • Landlords must maintain the rental property in a state of good repair and habitability

  • Tenants have the right to quiet enjoyment and safe living conditions

  • Maintenance issues that affect health, safety, or structural integrity must be addressed in a reasonable timeline

  • Tenants are usually required to report issues promptly

  • Landlords are typically required to give notice before entering a rental unit, except in emergencies

  • Documentation of reported issues and repairs strengthens compliance and legal defensibility

📍 Examples of Provincial Acts

Here are the main Residential Tenancy Acts by province — these are the legal frameworks that guide landlord responsibilities including maintenance and inspections:

Note: Some provinces may have additional public health or building code standards that relate to maintenance and inspections. You should always reference the specific provincial legislation or seek local legal advice for detailed compliance questions.

How Maintenance Requests Are Created in Propra

Maintenance requests can be created in multiple ways:
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1. Tenant Portal

Tenants can create a request directly in their resident portal when they select Create Maintenance Request. They choose the category, answer questions (if Smart Templates are enabled), add photos, notes, and preferred visit times.
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2. Email

Tenants can email [email protected] from the address on file. Propra responds with an interactive form to complete the request. The email address they are sending from must be the same email on their tenant contact table in Propra. This is how the system identifies the tenant, the unit, and your property manager account.
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3. Property Manager

You can create a request on behalf of a tenant:

  1. Go to Properties

  2. Select the unit or common area unit

  3. Click the three-dot menu

  4. Select Create Request

  5. Enter the details

Smart Templates — Better Requests From the Start

Smart Templates are custom question sets that help gather more detailed, accurate information when a tenant submits a request. They might ask for photos, descriptions, or specific conditions, so:

  • Operators know exactly what to expect

  • Tenants may solve simple issues without a work order

  • Technicians arrive prepared

This reduces back-and-forth and saves time.

Assigning Operators

Once a request is created, you can assign:

  • Staff operators — internal team members with access to the Propra Operators app

  • Contractors — external vendors receive an email link to manage the request

Assignment includes scheduling the visit date and time.

To assign an operator go to the maintenance request:

On the right side of the request page is the Visit box

There are two ways to assign an operator

  1. Select the date and time and then assign the operator that is available (this would be a staff operator) and then select Schedule

  2. Delegate the visit to an operator and select the due date and then Assign

Statuses in the Maintenance Workflow

Maintenance requests move through status labels such as:

  • Submitted — new, unassigned

  • Confirmed — assigned and scheduled

  • Missed — visit attempt not completed

  • Overdue — schedule passed without action

  • Approval — work done, costs need review

  • Completed — finished work

  • Cancelled — closed without work

These statuses help teams track progress and keep clients informed.

Completing a Maintenance Request

When the work is done:

  • Visit the request

  • Enter costs (labor, materials)

  • Add notes and photos

  • From the three-dot menu, select Complete Request
    This action updates Payables and finalizes the task.

Sending Notifications & Sharing With Owners

Owners can view maintenance requests through their owner portal, including:

  • Issue description

  • Final costs

Tenant privacy protections mean internal notes and scheduling may not be visible to owners.

Printing & PDF Options

If you need a physical or shareable PDF:

  1. Open the request in propra.app

  2. Click the three-dot menu

  3. Select Print
    The PDF includes full request details, photos, and cost summaries.

Summary

Maintenance requests in Propra provide a structured and documented workflow for:

  • Collecting tenant-reported issues

  • Assigning work to operators

  • Capturing accurate costs

  • Integrating with accounting

  • Communicating with tenants and owners

By following provincial best practices for inspections and repairs, and by using Smart Templates and proper documentation, teams can deliver a professional maintenance experience that minimizes disputes and supports compliance.

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