10 Reasons Why Property Management Really Is an Olympian Effort

1. Noisy Neighbours

By far, the most complained about issue we hear about from apartment residents is noisy neighbours, leading property managers to become diplomatic experts as they mediate between residents and unforgiving building fabric.

Sometimes, however, residents just have to take control of the situation themselves. A recurring problem at the Olympics is various sports finishing at different times leading to multiple athletes partying once their event is completed, with others still to prepare - at least with a good night’s rest. Therefore, TeamGB’s women cyclists took matters into their own hands by leaving a note for the ‘drunken’ gold-winning men cyclists, telling them not to stumble into their room at 4am.

2. Unauthorised Guests

Subletting without consent, particularly in the AirBnB era is a common frustration for property managers.

So, spare a thought for two Brazilian Synchronised Women Divers who split up after an argument about a fellow athlete coming to stay. Ingrid Oliveira allegedly invited fellow compatriot Pedro Goncalves, to spend the night with her at her room in the Olympic Village the evening prior to her dive at the games. This left roommate and diving partner Giovanna Pedroso furious and she has since vowed never to dive with her again. The subsequent argument saw the pair finish last in the women’s 10m synchronised diving.

3. Security

An important element of property management, is securing the estate but how many property managers have considered going as far as a resident lockdown?

Although Rio Mayor’s vowed the city would be the “safest place in the world”, questions regarding security began from day one.  The Olympic security chief was attacked after the opening ceremony, while Portugal’s Minister of Education was robbed at knifepoint on the Olympic cycling road race.  An unnamed Team GB athlete was also robbed at gunpoint, leading Rio officials to consider an outright ban on British competitors leaving the Village after dark.

4. Key-Holding & Access to Communal Facilities

Managing resident keys is a regular task for on-site concierge staff, particularly when it comes to accessing communal facilities.

Imagine (and sympathise) with the embarrassment faced by Rio officials when they were forced to use bolt cutters to force their way into the Olympic stadium after losing the key to the gate.

5. Contractors

All property managers are, to an extent, reliant on contractors for the effective maintenance and upkeep of the building and residents’ facilities.

The mystery of why the Olympic diving pool turned from crystal blue to a peculiar shade of green was only solved when it was discovered that a contractor had poured 80 litres of bleach into the water allowing algae to bloom.

6. Fire Safety

In the UK, 25% of all domestic fires occur in apartments despite the fact only around 10% of the population live in flats. Fire safety is therefore of paramount importance, leading to serious consequences for property managers not adhering to fire safety regulations.

Fortunately, 100 members of the Australian Olympic team were able to survive unscathed when a fire spread in their apartment building in the athletes village. This was an incredible feat, considering the fire alarm system had been disconnected due to maintenance works in the adjacent building. It was only when some athletes identified the danger due to smoke in the building that the evacuation happened.

7. Lift Maintenance

Elevators literally keep the building moving and are an essential facility for residents on higher floors.

Unfortunately, tennis athlete Juan Martin Del Potro’s Olympics came to an impromptu halt when he was was stuck in a lift for 40 mins, without mobile phone reception or an emergency signal. Fortunately, he was rescued by the Argentine handball team, hours before having to face the world’s top ranked player, Novak Djokovic.

8. Repairs/Major Works & Snagging

Dealing with repairs and major works is a familiar part of every property manager’s daily routine, made that much more challenging when your building leaks like a sieve.

Just days before the Olympics opening ceremony, organisers were forced to engage a “massive operation”, to fix a plethora of plumbing and electricity problems at the athlete's Village in Rio. As a result, the Australian team refused to move in, as they found their Village quarters uninhabitable due to “blocked toilets, leaking pipes and exposed wiring.” Pictures have shown incomplete bathrooms, broken tiles, holes in ceilings, exposed wires and leaky walls. One athlete described the village as “unliveable.”

Gymnast Larissa Miller discovered a gas leak the day she moved in and a video posted by a Czech Olympian, disclosed flooding from a stairwell, due to a break in the Village’s water main. Since then, another video has surfaced from Olympic journalist, Bill Chappell’s who discovered he could only operate his shower, by turning on the sink faucets.

Finally, what better way to repair a £32 million building with a wooden floor than with a little duct tape? At least this is how Rio officials pasted over the holes in the Olympic Velodrome floor caused by Dutch athlete Joost van der Burg’s crash in the men’s cycling team sprint.

9. Soft Furnishings & Resident Essentials

Hardly any new build apartment in the UK is now sold without describing it as “luxury”, and even the most frugal PRS  or multi-family developer/manager would not dare to leave their customers without the bare mod-cons.

Yet, there has been a shocking amount of facilities and furnishings unavailable to athletes inside the Olympic Village. Australian basketball player Andre Bogut, tweeted a picture of himself threading hooks through a shower curtain so he could hang it in his bathroom, which came without one.

#IOCLuxuryLodging. Putting together a shower curtain so we can shower and not flood the place. pic.twitter.com/omaBJ7Dlje

— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) 2 August 2016

Elsewhere the Indian hockey team were provided with no furniture and shared an image of them sitting on large beanbags in an empty room. 

The Chinese team complained about their rickety beds, broken sinks, lack of sprinklers, tables, access to plugs, electricity and even no water in some rooms. Several other athletes also took to social media to complain about their accommodation, displaying pictures of cramped rooms and tiny beds.

WATCH: Jamaicans arrive to unfinished rooms inside the athletes' village two days before the #RioGoldRush Olympics. pic.twitter.com/FlZrHyay42

— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) August 4, 2016

10. Re-Housing Residents

When the building becomes uninhabitable, often there is no choice but to re-house all the residents elsewhere at a cost usually picked up by the building’s insurer.

The US Olympic Team decided not to wait on protocol, deeming the athletes village unsuitable and exclusively hiring a cruise ship docked in Rio’s port for their accommodation throughout the Games. Probably a good choice, as TeamUSA subsequently topped the medal table.

Whilst the main focus of the Olympic games is on the sporting achievement of the athletes, none of this would be possible without the real estate industry performing at its best, which is why there is so much emphasis on the Olympic legacy. Look now at the legacy of the former athletes village from the London Olympics (now known as the East Village apartments) - a thriving and growing district built without a single contractor death, on time and on budget.