The most important thing to know about the management of apartment buildings
2022.03.02
At present, various issues related to the management of apartment buildings have become more topical and increasing utility bills are just one of the current issues affecting a large part of society. Many may not even realize that it is not so difficult to change house managers, and in situations where the quality of service or the price of energy becomes unsatisfactory, this could be the most sensible solution.
The industry of apartment building management has changed significantly in recent years and the market is highly competitive. However, property management does not only mean clean staircase and a tidy area. There should be an individual approach to each house, and it can only be provided by knowledgeable and experienced staff. The company “Civinity” whose operations are concentrated in Riga, Jurmala and Pieriga, is the largest private management company in Latvia. Its priority is the provision of the highest quality service at a reasonable price.
The company employs a team of knowledgeable and experienced professionals who provide administration and management services, providing customers not only with quality solutions, but also pricing that allows you to save and reduce utility bills. Civinity is flexible in both financial flow and service delivery and provides prompt resolution of management issues and crisis situations. An important aspect is that customers are offered one of the lowest prices on the market for electricity and gas, thus allowing apartment owners to make significant savings.
Management is a complex issue
“Management of an apartment house is a complex event. It is important that for the residents of the house, their property does not end and does not start only at the door of the apartment. The house is a single integrated whole – both the staircase, the attic and the basement, as well as the territory attached to it,” says Toms Lučins, Head of the Residential Building Management Region at AS “Civinity Mājas”.
As the company’s representative explains, the manager looks at the house from a different point of view – technical. In turn, the owner of the apartment usually notices the premises through which he moves on a daily basis. The manager pays attention to all the constructions, because they are the primary things for the house to function at all. For example, before planning a renovation of a staircase, it may be more useful to think about strengthening the basement walls. Each house needs an individual approach.
“This is a specific industry. You have to know a lot of laws, you have to keep up with the news. Residents also want to receive information much faster, so communication must be immediate. It encourages us to be creative and think of various new solutions to streamline management processes without increasing costs for the customer. When we change something, our goal is always to provide a better, higher quality service,” outlines he the nuances of house management.
Change of house manager
If the residents of the house are not satisfied with the work of the current manager, maybe it’s time to look for a new manager. It’ is not as complicated as many people think. If it is “Civinity”, the specialists will first inspect and evaluate the house, as well as listen to the wishes of the residents. An offer will then be prepared. If the prepared offer is attractive to residents, a vote of the apartment owners will be organized. In case of a positive vote, a contract will be concluded and the process of taking over the house will be organized.
Working with debtors
“Civinity” is open to communication with its customers not only in solving various technical problems, but also in working with debtors. As soon as it is established that the owner of an apartment has problems paying the bills, a company representative will contact him to find a way out of this not-so-pleasant situation. One of the solutions is to create a repayment schedule. “We are talking to the debtor, we are evaluating the payment discipline, we are looking for solutions,” says the representative, adding that so far there has been no situation when no heating is connected to a house due to the debtor, so all residents of the house benefit.
Savings fund and insurance
A representative of the management company also points out that it is important for the residents of an apartment building to invest money so that the house is maintained in good condition and the value of the property does not fall. “Apartment owners need to create savings funds to maintain and improve the house. It is important to prevent situations of suddenly growth of expenses due to any emergency,” explains Tom Lučins.
The manager must carry out an inspection and draw up a list of the work to be carried out. According to an expert in the field, people often tend to postpone the big works in order to save money, but according to him “investing money today is cheaper than tomorrow”. For example, failure to repair the roof of an apartment building in time can have critical consequences, but residents are not always aware of this. “The challenge is to reach a consensus among apartment owners,” he said.
It is worth knowing that it is possible to attract financing for home renovation works. For example, Riga City Council co-financing or the “Altum” program. In this case, “Civinity” can help residents with all the necessary documentation. The company can also arrange the insurance of joint property if the apartment owners have expressed such a wish.
“Civinity” provides residents with all services in the highest level: concluding contracts with utility service providers, invoicing, maintenance of engineering systems, repairs, attracting financing for repairs, cleaning, 24-hour technical support, crisis management, as well as storage of savings funds. The average offered price of management per square meter is 0.60 euros (including VAT) but offers are individualized and prepared starting from 0.47 euros (including VAT) per square meter.