© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
The two largest elements of most service charge costs are insurance and the cleaning/ caretaking, and porter services. Leaving aside insurance costs, as residents will never leave a block uninsured, the item most under scrutiny is the cleaning and caretaking charge.
Here, a balance must be struck between service and value. This can only be achieved by the cleaning company having a clear and defined understanding of what is required, not only from the residents in respect to service level, specification and frequency, but also an understanding of the property manager’s objectives. As the service provider, you must also provide sound, professional advice to the client, to achieve the desired outcome.
Consider a block of apartments with a porter 24hours a day, and a cleaning company 5 days per week. The combined costs for both services were identified as high by the residents, when compared to the services being delivered. The porter was only a visible presence to receive deliveries, sign in visitors, whilst the cleaners maintained the block to a high standard and reported vandalism, out of order lights, etc. As a service provider it is possible to take an objective view of the requirements and to offer constructive alternatives. Here, the porter became a visible caretaker, taking on the cleaning responsibility and carrying a mobile telephone, to be contactable to receive deliveries when away from his office. Therefore, a satisfactory solution was achieved in service levels and financial savings for the residents. The Property Manager also benefited from this solution by acting in the residents’ best interests.
The above example does not just work in tightening economic climates. Service providers must strive to act in a professional manner to ensure that both the residents and property managers are satisfied with the services that they receive and ultimately pay for. Cleaning companies and property managers must also maintain this service level. When property sales pick up, residents marketing properties will be ever more demanding to ensure that their block does nothing to dissuade potential buyers. Suppliers need to be delivering, so as not to fall under the watchful and keen eyes of new occupants, wary of the service level charges on their apartments.
It is not entirely possible for the service provider to wholly succeed on their own, as this is a relationship of three, and has to remain in a balanced state.