A property maintenance company will provide several services depending on the needs of the building or complex they have been hired to manage. Usually, the company are employed by the Property Manager of the building, primarily to handle any regular or specialized maintenance that the property may require.
This could include routine jobs such as cleaning, seasonal repairs, and addressing any issues found in the communal spaces of a building (for example a block of flats) with shared tenancies. However, a property maintenance company will also handle one-off repairs, including fixing broken locks, sealing leaks, installing new technology, replacing doors, and even dealing with issues such as any electrical faults.
The regularity and amount of work that the property maintenance company does will depend on their agreement with the Property Manager, and they will be contracted to have a presence on-premise on certain days.
For example, some buildings may only need maintenance every month, whereas others might need weekly service, and some larger complexes might require a near-constant presence to fix faults across the campus.
The need for a property maintenance company will vary depending on the building itself. For example, large old buildings will require much more maintenance than smaller, newer builds.
One of the main benefits of a property maintenance company is the flexibility they offer to Property Managers and the speed of service that they offer to anyone living on the property in question.
They often consist of a large team, allowing them to conduct multiple repairs at once, and they are a cost-effective alternative to hiring maintenance staff to work on the site full-time.
When it comes to the actual work required, as mentioned above, property maintenance companies have an extraordinarily wide remit. Their services include but are not limited to, some of the areas below.
General Upkeep
First and foremost, a property maintenance company will be able to keep the general upkeep of a building up-to-date. This may include clearing outside the property of rubbish and detritus such as leaves, as well as cleaning floors, checking for any water damage, and ensuring the building remains structurally sound.
Hiring a company like this can greatly improve the general cleanliness of a building, making sure it receives a regular tidy and clean.
Managing Communal Areas
If the building is used by multiple tenants, for example, shared working space or apartments, the property maintenance company will usually remain responsible for communal areas.
This will remove the necessity for overly complicated cleaning rotas, whilst keeping stairwells and hallways clean for use.
Responding to Client Calls
A property maintenance company also needs to maintain great relationships with their clients, and often to be on call in case any serious issues are noticed at one of their buildings.
Basic Repairs
Alongside general upkeep, they will have the skills needed to fix any of the most common issues. This is great for landlords and property managers who might not possess certain practical skills, and risk causing more damage by attempting fixes themselves.
Property maintenance companies, on the other hand, will employ a large team with varying skillsets, allowing them to see to most problems without delay.
Installing New Hardware
Some property maintenance companies will also be contracted to install any new hardware required for the building. This could include a security system with cameras and monitors, or perhaps a new Wifi to cover the full premises.
This would count as a special call-out service, rather than general upkeep, but once again allows the work to be carried out by experts.
Ensuring Safety
When hiring a property maintenance company, the Property Manager confers the responsibility for their work onto their shoulders. This means that the company itself is responsible for ensuring the safety of both its workers and anyone who resides or works in the building itself.
This can be particularly helpful when it comes to work that engenders higher risks, such as electrical services, when the safety measures can be complex. A property maintenance company will have the necessary training and documentation to carry out tasks with the utmost safety in mind.
Taking Responsibility
Alongside ensuring the safety of everyone involved, a property maintenance company should take primary responsibility for the quality and efficiency of the work they complete. This can be helpful for many landlords, as they do not risk creating more problems by trying to solve those that already exist.
Though they might own the property, the contract will state that the company is responsible for any damage they inadvertently create, giving them the responsibility to fix it. This is a great safety net for Property Managers and owners to have, ensuring that any repairs will always be undertaken fully and efficiently.
Create Time for Investors
If you own or manage a building, especially one with tenants, the chances are you are doing this as an investment opportunity. You may even be planning to grow your portfolio and invest in further real-estate locations.
However, it’s rather difficult to do this if the majority of your time is spent responding to tenants, and undertaking the general upkeep of your property yourself, let alone trying to deal with problems such as leaking roofs or broken door locks.
A property maintenance company takes the weight off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on your own investment opportunities whilst knowing your current property is in safe hands.
Give Peace of Mind to Tenants
Finally, the presence of a property maintenance company on-site can offer great peace of mind to anyone who uses the building itself. Knowing that there is a professional, expert body on hand to fix any issues using a specialist contractor, can be a great selling point for any rental space, either for work or domestic use.
A property maintenance company will be able to address any issues much more quickly than a Property Manager or landlord working alone, meaning that any problems will be solved much more efficiently. This offers peace of mind to everyone involved, allowing them to get on with their own work with minimal disruption.