About Us
About Renter Fix
Renter Fix is an independent home maintenance resource built specifically for tenants. Every guide on this site focuses on reversible, low-risk solutions that won't violate your lease or put your security deposit at risk.
Who's behind Renter Fix
I'm Michael Rivera, a property maintenance specialist based in Austin, Texas. Over the past 12 years I've worked across residential rental properties—from single-family homes to mid-size apartment complexes—handling everything from routine preventive maintenance to emergency leak calls.
Most of my career has been on the building side of the landlord-tenant relationship: responding to work orders, diagnosing plumbing and HVAC issues, prepping units for turnover, and coordinating vendor repairs. That experience taught me two things:
- Tenants often wait too long to report small problems because they don't know whether they're allowed to do anything about them.
- A surprising number of deposit disputes come from damage that could have been prevented with a 10-minute routine or a simple fix.
After years of answering the same questions—"Can I fix this myself?" "Will this void my lease?" "Is this something I should report?"—I started documenting the answers. Renter Fix is the result: straightforward guides that respect your lease and your deposit.
What I cover (and what I don't)
| Renter Fix covers | Renter Fix does not cover |
|---|---|
| Preventive maintenance routines (drafts, leaks, humidity) | Licensed electrical, gas, or structural work |
| Troubleshooting and diagnosis (drains, toilets, fans, pressure) | Modifications that require landlord permits |
| Reversible fixes (weatherstripping, sealants, cleaning) | Permanent alterations (cutting drywall, rewiring) |
| Move-out prep (patching, touch-ups, documentation) | Legal advice about lease disputes |
| When to call maintenance (with request templates) | Medical advice about mold, air quality, etc. |
Why a renter-specific resource matters
Most home repair content online is written for homeowners. That means the advice often assumes you can drill into walls, replace fixtures, or call your own plumber. As a renter, the rules are different:
- Your lease defines what you can and can't do. A fix that's standard for a homeowner might be a lease violation for you.
- Reversibility matters. Anything you change needs to be undone at move-out without leaving damage.
- Documentation is your best tool. A photo + timestamp + short message can save you hundreds in deposit disputes.
- Knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing how to start. That's why every guide includes clear "stop signs" and a copy/paste maintenance request template.
My approach to writing guides
Every article on Renter Fix follows the same core principles:
- Lease-first: if a step could violate common lease rules, it's flagged explicitly. I never assume you have permission to modify the unit.
- Low-risk steps first: cleaning and basic adjustments come before any product application or part replacement. The simplest fix that works is the right fix.
- Safety boundaries: I draw a hard line at anything that requires licensed work—gas lines, electrical panels, structural elements, and anything behind walls. If it crosses that line, the guide tells you to call maintenance.
- Practical over perfect: these guides are designed for real renters, not contractors. I use tools you can get at any hardware store for under $20, and I keep steps short enough to follow on a phone screen.
How content is created and reviewed
Each guide on Renter Fix is written based on hands-on experience maintaining rental properties. Here's the process:
- Topic selection: I focus on issues I've seen repeatedly in real rental units—the problems that generate the most work orders and the most deposit disputes.
- Drafting: I write each guide from the renter's perspective: what you'll see, what tools you need, step-by-step instructions, and clear limits on what's safe to do yourself.
- Safety review: every guide is checked against common lease language and standard building codes. If a step could create liability, it's removed or marked as "call maintenance."
- Updates: when I learn something new from the field—a better product, a safer technique, or a common mistake—I update the relevant guide and change the "last updated" date.
Editorial independence
Renter Fix is independently run. No property management company, landlord association, or product brand has editorial influence over the content. I recommend what works based on my professional experience, not sponsorships.
Monetization & transparency
This site may display ads through Google AdSense and may include affiliate links in the future. Here's what that means for you:
- Ads help cover hosting and operating costs. They don't influence which products or methods I recommend.
- If I ever include affiliate links, I'll disclose them clearly. A product recommendation on this site is based on whether it works for renters—not on commission rates.
- I will never recommend a product or method that I haven't personally used or vetted in a rental maintenance context.
Contact
Have a question, correction, or suggestion? I'd like to hear from you.
- General questions & corrections: info@renterfix.com — include the page URL and a description of the issue.
- Topic suggestions: if there's a rental maintenance problem you'd like covered, send it along. Include your region if local codes or norms are relevant.
- Press & partnerships: include your organization name, timeline, and which page you're referencing.
Last updated: February 2026