Property preferences tell Guardian Landlord how you want to handle things when you're not available. Guardian Landlord is built for self-managing independent landlords — learn more about how it works. The more you configure, the better Guardian can act on your behalf during Away Mode — using your preferred vendors, respecting your repair vs. replace decisions, and avoiding unnecessary costs.

Preferences are entirely optional for general use. They become most valuable when you activate Away Mode and Guardian Landlord is coordinating repairs on your behalf.

Where to find preferences

Preferences live on each property's detail page. From your dashboard:

  1. Go to Properties in the sidebar.

  2. Click on a property to open its detail page.

  3. Click the Preferences tab or button near the top of the page.

You can also set global default preferences that apply across all your properties. These are found by navigating to Properties → Global Defaults.

How global defaults and property overrides work

Guardian Landlord uses a two-level preference system:

  • Global defaults — preferences that apply to all your properties unless overridden. Set these once for settings you want everywhere (e.g. your go-to plumber, your general repair preference).

  • Property-level overrides — preferences set on a specific property that take precedence over your global defaults for that property only.

For example, you might set a global preference to always Repair appliances, but set a property-level override on an older building to Ask Me before replacing anything. The property override wins for that building; all other properties fall back to the global default.

On property preference pages, inherited global settings are shown at reduced opacity with a small globe icon. Clicking any option immediately creates a property-level override — you don't need to save separately.

Service representatives

Service representatives are the vendors you trust for different types of work — your preferred plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, and so on. Guardian Landlord surfaces these when handling requests during Away Mode, and contacts property-specific reps first before falling back to your global defaults.

The available trade categories are: HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Appliance, Structural, Pest Control, Landscaping, Locksmith, Cleaning, and General.

Adding a service rep

  1. On the Preferences page, scroll to the Service Representatives section.

  2. Click Add Rep.

  3. Select the trade (e.g. Plumbing).

  4. Enter their name, phone number, and optionally an email address and notes (e.g. "Ask for Mike", "Only available weekdays").

  5. Click Save. The rep is immediately active.

You can add multiple reps per trade — Guardian will work through them in the order listed. You can also add the same rep at both the global and property level if they cover multiple properties.

Add a General trade rep as a catch-all for miscellaneous repairs or issues that don't fit a specific category. This ensures Guardian always has someone to contact even for unusual requests.

Appliance preferences

For each appliance at a property, you can tell Guardian whether to repair it, replace it, or check with you first. This prevents unwanted decisions — like a vendor replacing a $1,200 dishwasher when you would have preferred a $150 repair.

The appliances you can configure are: Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Oven / Range, Microwave, Washer, Dryer, Furnace, Air Conditioner, Water Heater, and Garbage Disposal.

The three preference options

Repair — Guardian and the vendor should attempt to repair the appliance first. This is the default for most situations and is the most cost-conscious option.

Replace — If the appliance fails, proceed with replacement. You can optionally set a cost threshold — if the repair estimate exceeds that amount, replace instead. For example: "Replace the water heater if repair exceeds $400."

Ask Me — Don't make a decision without checking with you first. Guardian will flag the issue and pause before taking action. Use this for appliances where you want full control, or for older units where the right answer depends on the specific situation.

Setting a cost threshold

  1. Set the appliance preference to Replace.

  2. A cost threshold field will appear below the toggle.

  3. Enter the dollar amount above which replacement is preferred over repair (e.g. $300).

  4. The threshold saves automatically when you click away.

Cost thresholds are advisory — they guide Guardian Landlord's decision-making and vendor conversations, but the final call on any major expense is always confirmed with you before work proceeds.

A recommended setup

If you're not sure where to start, here's a sensible baseline that works for most landlords:

  • Global defaults: Set a General service rep as a catch-all. Set all appliance preferences to Repair with no threshold — this gives Guardian the flexibility to handle small issues without escalating.

  • Per-property: Add trade-specific reps (plumber, electrician, HVAC) for each property. Override to Ask Me for any appliance that's older or expensive to replace.

  • High-value appliances: Set a cost threshold on water heaters and HVAC units — these are the most common source of surprise large expenses. A threshold of $500–$600 is a reasonable starting point.