A well-run property works like a well-oiled machine. Requests made by the association are obeyed by owners and tenants, while work orders filed by the latter are promptly handled by the property manager.
For this process to work smoothly, the expectations for these workflows should be clearly outlined. This might seem like an obvious point, but you’d be surprised to find out how many buildings lack a standardized workflow for these types of situations. Generally, the expectations of the homeowners association are clearly outlined – when a directive is sent out to the owners and tenants, there is a clear time expectation for compliance.
The same expectations should be set up by the owners for the fulfillment of maintenance tasks and repairs, so that they know what kind of response time to expect when something breaks. For example, knowing that emergency repairs will be addressed within 12 hours, while general repairs will be tackled within a week allows the owners and tenants to know how quickly help will arrive when the need for service arises. Having an established system will also help the property manager know how to prioritize tasks in a way that everyone accepts as fair, avoiding further conflict.
