Where are all the residents?

When you are spending your hard earned money as much information as possible is usually required to know if the spend is worthwhile. Why part easily with hard earned cash?

It is great the property management industry has become more regulated; members of organisations such as ARMA strive to keep standards high and stay up to date with the latest industry news.

One thing many people in property management experience, however, is a lack of interaction from residents. Some residents do develop a strong relationship with managers, but some don’t even know how much their service charge is and why they have to pay it.

So is the industry guilty of not providing enough information, or are residents guilty of not getting involved and doing their homework?

Management companies should be available to residents, answering enquiries efficiently and passing on all vital information so they know how their money is being invested.

They should send out the times they do sites visits, set up regular residents meetings and keep up a good level of communication as to any information regarding their home.

However, managers often hold resident meetings to find one or two residents arrive. Should they feel disappointed or is this a positive that people are happy in their homes and don’t need to raise any issues?

This situation is familiar to most in the industry. If management companies maintain high standards and have information available to residents, the choice is that of the resident if they want involvement or not.

Will the bond grow between management companies and residents, or if the grounds and communal areas are well maintained and looked after is that enough for most?