One of the most important responsibilities of a property manager of condos is to address service requests/work orders submitted by residents. Service requests can greatly vary in nature and scope in a condo. The good thing is that a large majority of them can be categorized as common - they occur on a regular basis and can be addressed quite expediently. However, in order for those common service requests to be carried out seamlessly, there needs to be a proper system and know-how to deal with them. The process typically involves communication with residents and repairmen, tracking progress and also authorizing entry. The first step is to recognize what the common service requests are. We present to you four of the most common requests.
1. Plumbing Issues
Issues with plumbing are typically the residents' responsibility. A large majority of the issues surrounding plumbing can be categorized as 'minor' and are thus issues that can be addressed by the residents themselves. In a small number of cases however, there may be more complex plumbing issues that require specialists. In such cases, the right course of action for the resident would be to contact the property manager to submit a service request as soon as possible. The property manager would then assess the issue and engage a plumbing specialist. In most cases where there are complex plumbing issues, there is a chance that any defects may actually lead to larger issues that can affect other units. As such, time would be of the essence and a proper service request system would do wonders.
2. Walls and Floors Issues
Typically, issues surrounding walls and floors are also considered as 'minor' as they typically do not pose any danger and do not affect other units. They are issues that need to be resolved by the residents themselves. For such issues, it would be useful to have help documentation be made accessible for the residents to consult on their own. In the case where there are foundational issues that may affect other units, it would be wise to issue a service request to the property manager so that the proper steps be taken to mitigate damages. In such cases, professionals specializing in those issues would be called upon by the property manager.
3. Shared Areas & Facilities
Most all components outside of a resident's specific unit are considered as shared areas and facilities. When a resident notices an issue in the common areas, the same applies in that they should report the issue to the property manager via a service request. Examples of issues in common areas can range from issues with plumbing and wall in common areas, to gym equipment, lighting in common areas to issues outside of the building itself. While it is not an obligation for a resident to report it, it would be the wise thing to do as while common areas are shared, they are also the collective property of the owners.
4. Issues with Lighting
Issues with lighting can fall under the above category of shared areas and facilities. However, they are so common that it deserves its own category. These issues can be addressed by submitting a service request, however given how quickly and easily they are fixed, the property manager typically is well prepared for it. Simply alerting the property manager or the front desk personal typically would suffice. The work is generally carried out by an in-house staff member. For more complex lighting issues, the correct procedure would naturally involve a service request and a professional is typically called upon to resolve them.
The above are simply the more common issues in a condo. However, note that more major issues do also occur regularly. In most cases, the property manager typically has specialists available on call to resolve them. The major issues involve for example, road issues, elevators, HVAC and swimming pools just to name a few. When a service request is submitted for these issues, they take longer to get resolved as specialists will come in on a scheduled appointment and the work itself may take longer to fix and parts may need to be ordered.
The best way to have a smooth resolution to both common and major issues is to have a proper system in place that allow for clear communication between the parties involved, scheduling features and reporting. Such automation will allow the property manager for better organization and lessen the burden of dealing with multiple issues at the same time. We would be more than happy to share with you our experience in dealing with service request and/or to see if Condo Manager's service request features would be helpful for you. Feel free to contact us anytime!
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