Organised and efficient property maintenance is one of the most important aspects of building management but can be stressful and heavily resource intensive. Maintaining properties proactively and comprehensively is key to protecting them from damage and breakdowns and to avoid serious issues arising with the property’s building fabric or mechanical and electrical equipment. Read on for more on the best practices you should be following in the management of your properties.
Why is efficient property management important?
Buildings are expensive investments and efficient property maintenance is an effective way to safeguard the value of those properties. When properties are managed well, the likelihood of emergencies, last-minute engineer callouts, and breakdowns drastically decreases. Tenants living in rental properties, or elderly people living in care homes, will also benefit hugely from regular property maintenance, as living in a well-maintained property is crucial for tenant satisfaction and will greatly improve tenant retention rates.
Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM)
By carrying out works on your properties proactively, you can stay ahead of the game, identifying and addressing potential issues before they develop into costly repairs. From brickwork to boilers, this is an intelligent and organised way to keep on top of your property maintenance and ensure all aspects of the property are being regularly cleaned, checked, and serviced.
Planned preventative maintenance (PPM), also referred to as scheduled maintenance, is a proactive maintenance strategy which follows these same guiding principles. Instead of waiting until issues arise around the property, this strategy involves scheduling works ahead of time to maintain every element of the property, even if it is functioning as expected. Ultimately, PPM can save you enormous amounts of time, stress, and money, alleviating the pressures of arranging last-minute callouts and avoiding the expenses of emergency fixes and replacements.
Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM)
There is a considerable amount of work involved in comprehensive property maintenance. It is important from a financial and tenant retention perspective for properties to be maintained to a high standard, not to mention the legal implications of failing to manage a property safely. This is where computer aided facility management (CAFM) systems can support building managers.
A CAFM system doesn’t just oversee the building management process: it revolutionises the way building managers operate. From planning to execution to monitoring, CAFM systems can collectively take care of and oversee every aspect of property maintenance on behalf of the building manager, streamlining existing facilities management processes with cutting edge software and a manned services desk. Ultimately, a CAFM system can hugely simplify a building manager’s role by enabling them to save time, cut costs, and ultimately make more time for their wellbeing and work-life balance.
Building Fabric Maintenance
Imaging tipping a house upside down: everything that wouldn’t fall out is considered to fall under the umbrella of building fabric. This can include carpentry, glazing, doors, windows, floors, doors, and more. Building fabric maintenance is not typically considered specialist, electrical, or mechanical, but rather is related to the functionality and appearance of a property.
Building managers should take building fabric maintenance very seriously. Ensuring a building is aesthetically pleasing and functions correctly is imperative to securing and retaining tenants, maintaining the value of the property, and attracting potential investors. Despite typically being considered as minor works, taking care of the fabric of your property is essential to avoiding serious, costly repair jobs that could potentially incapacitate your property. Overlooking a small leak in the roof or a minor crack in the brickwork could turn into a major, costly repair job, requiring tenants to vacate the property and costing thousands to fix. Instead, taking the time to regularly monitor and maintain building fabric can avoid these stressful consequences and will ensure the property is being well looked after all year round.
