“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”
While JFK may not have had planned maintenance in mind when he made this comment, his words still have a resonance for the property rental market, where everything – especially maintenance – is better pre-planned.
Whether managers have one property portfolio or many; the cost effective benefits of planning maintenance, most likely enacted through proactive management software, are multiple. Here are five reasons to consider planning an annual maintenance strategy:
Forewarned is forearmed
Scheduling maintenance puts managers in a position to notify tenants or leaseholders about planned work in advance. In addition to increasing goodwill and minimizing disruptions, this approach should generate greater access around the property, allowing work to be carried out more swiftly and effectively.
Hidden figures
Planning work in advance allows it to be better factored into a budget, meaning all hidden costs can be accounted for and enabling landlords to carry out more extensive works, confident in the knowledge they have greater cost control than they ever would over last-minute emergencies.
The bigger picture
Controlling the system through proactive management software will allow the manager the chance to build a better picture of the building as a whole, enabling them to ensure everything is up to date. A clearer overview should also give greater guidance as to which items will require servicing in the future and when.
Where's the emergency?
Planning maintenance in advance should negate the need for most emergency call-outs. In addition to adding value to the building and increasing tenant satisfaction, a lack of call-out fees and a reduction in emergency breakdowns has a huge cost benefit to managers and landlords. Maintenance that is appropriately planned means the right numbers of contractors can be allocated to the job, the right tools can be provided and a job can be run much more smoothly, keeping unnecessary costs down.
Longer life
The regular servicing the planned maintenance will extend the life of the fixtures, fittings and any electrical goods that are being maintained. Proactive management software allows managers to map out their planned maintenance across one or multiple properties to ensure the right items are being serviced at the right time!
While the idea of putting together a comprehensive pre-planned maintenance programme might seem daunting to those with a smaller portfolio, the programme can be as big or as small as the landlord needs – and with the right management software, it will practically run itself, saving landlords time and money. Sometimes it really does pay to be prepared.
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