To ensure all key elements in a condo building function properly, your association will need a robust condo maintenance request system. This provides residents and unit owners with a convenient, clear way to report any issues or problems that your COA can act on.
What is a Condo Maintenance Request?
Submitting a condo maintenance request is a resident’s primary way to report any defect or safety issue and request repair services to resolve it. These may include service concerns for common areas and limited common elements. It may also apply to an issue inside a unit that may directly impact the building or other residents.
However, even in a shared building, your COA is not automatically responsible for repairs just because a resident submitted a request. The responsibilities depend on what’s stipulated in your governing documents, which outline whether the COA or the unit owner is responsible.
Why Condo Associations Need a Maintenance Request System
Living in a condo unit usually involves shared property and shared risk. A small defect can have a big effect on other areas, including private condo units. For example, a damaged stair rail may pose a safety risk to everyone involved.
By having a request system, your condo has a written process that helps your HOA board identify issues and prioritize which ones to repair first. This way, condo unit owners and residents know where they can submit these requests and how the process works.
Who Handles Maintenance Requests?
Your COA board and management company share the responsibility of handling condo maintenance requests, but their level of authority and responsibilities differ. The COA board determines how the process will proceed, while the management company handles operations.
The board also approves maintenance policies and the budget allocated for repair expenses. They also designate who has emergency authority and which vendors to work with.
Meanwhile, your condo management company will handle how these procedures are done and the day-to-day administration. They will likely be the ones receiving these requests and preparing relevant work orders. They would likely also be the ones contacting and scheduling vendors and documenting the process.
Taking in Condo Maintenance Requests
The intake process for condo maintenance requests should always be simple and consistent for the benefit of both the association and its residents. There should only be one place where residents can submit requests to keep things organized. Some tools you can use include an online portal or a specific email address.
As part of the request form, your association should ask for the unit owner’s name, the unit number itself, contact information, and the problem at hand. It would also be helpful to get more details with the submission, such as the description or even photos of what happened.
If the concern is an emergency, your COA should have a dedicated contact number and, if possible, after-hours support.
When the request is submitted, residents should receive confirmation that it went through and that the association will review it. To make monitoring submitted requests easier, you can assign a tracking number to every work order.
How to Triage Emergencies
There are times when condo maintenance requests need to be urgently resolved. Emergency cases mean problems can easily affect people in the condominium if not addressed promptly, and expose the COA to liability.
To determine which requests need immediate attention and which don’t, here’s how to triage maintenance requests.
Emergency Requests
Emergency requests are reserved for issues that pose an immediate risk to people in the building. Usually, these requests involve safety issues, such as electric hazards and fire damage.
When receiving such requests, the first thing your COA needs to do is to try to stabilize the situation. You may need to call a vendor or contractor to stop the source of the problem from potentially harming people in the building.
Urgent Requests
Urgent requests are still pressing issues that don’t pose an immediate threat to safety. While it’s not an immediate risk, these should still be addressed as soon as possible to avoid bigger mishaps.
Your COA board needs to review urgent requests quickly and escalate them before the condition worsens.
Routine Requests
Routine requests are meant for ordinary damages that don’t pose immediate or ongoing danger. Of course, these still matter, as unresolved issues can grow over time.
How to Handle a Condo Repair Request
When you receive a condo repair request from a resident, it should follow the workflow or process your COA has set. After the association receives and triages the request, it should be determined whether the COA or the unit owner is responsible for it.
If the association is responsible for maintenance, the board or management company can contact a vendor to do the repairs. Meanwhile, if homeowners are responsible, the board will need to explain the decision and the situation to them. This response should always cite and be aligned with your governing documents.
Common Condo Maintenance Requests
Condo communities often see the same problems over time. Tracking common requests helps the board identify patterns and plan preventive maintenance.
Water Leaks
These are among the most urgent condo maintenance issues because the damage can spread quickly throughout the building. Managers or boards should document the source and affected areas. Once repairs are done, take note of the contractor’s findings and work towards steps and changes that could prevent it from happening again.
Exterior and Building Envelope Issues
These requests involve roofs, balconies, exterior walls, windows, and doors, and they require a thorough review. Usually, the components involved in such requests are expensive, and responsibility is often specific to the document.
Common-Area Repairs
Common-area requests usually involve shared spaces and building systems. When management or the board receives them, they should track the issues and requests and take action to ensure the safety of people using them.
Trash And Pest Concerns
Trash rooms, dumpsters, odors, rodents, insects, and cleaning complaints can quickly affect resident satisfaction. Recurring issues may indicate vendor problems, rule violations, or building access concerns.
Better Tracking, Better Maintenance
Having an efficient request system keeps things organized. It makes it easier for your condo association to respond, resulting in faster repairs.
The Forth Group provides HOA management services to communities in Chicago and surrounding areas. Call us today at (312) 379-0400 or contact us online to get started!
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