Even that I would not call underhanded.
adv. In a sly and secret way. adj. Marked by or done in a deceptive, secret, or sly manner; dishonest and sneaky. See Synonyms at secret.
Not doing something at all or hiring the cheapest guy is not clever enough to be sly, and almost no landlord says how much he pays for repairs.
My landlord finally had both elevators overhauled -- the repair guys were there for days -- so they never broke again while I was there, and must have spent a bundle, but he didn't tell us how much even when he spent a lot.