Most residents are good about reporting maintenance problems. Some owners and managers may say that they’re too good. But there are residents who don’t report maintenance problems. Perhaps these residents are too busy or don’t want members of your maintenance staff in their...
You and your maintenance staff have different issues to tackle during each season of the year. In the fall, most sites need to prepare for winter. But because some of the things that should be on your “to do” list for fall haven’t been done in an entire year, it’s easy to...
If your site needs non-routine maintenance and repair work, you must decide between either using your own staff or hiring outside contractors. Some managers think that it’s always cheaper to use their site staff, but that’s not necessarily so. There are costs associated with using...
Extreme weather frequently knocks over electrical lines. Owners and residents who rely on backup generators for temporary power should be aware of the danger of inhaling carbon monoxide. A 2012 review of the American Journal of Public Health identified 75 deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning...
If you’re like most managers, you probably follow up with a resident after an annual unit inspection only if you found serious housekeeping problems during the inspection. But by limiting your follow-up to this situation, you could be missing a great opportunity to head off maintenance...
On July 10, 2016, HUD released Inspector Notice No. 2016-03, which clarifies standards to all HUD Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) inspectors regarding repairs made to sites. The changes implemented in this notice are effective on Aug. 1, 2016. According to the Public and Indian...
If you’re like most owners or managers of assisted sites, you probably conduct annual inspections of the units at your site. Owners perform unit inspections on at least an annual basis to determine whether the appliances and equipment in the unit are functioning properly and to assess...
Major storms or other natural disasters may leave your site and residents without power. And in anticipation of future storms or disasters that may knock out power, your site may have an emergency backup generator. Generators offer the convenience of using our everyday devices despite a...
Toxic mold lawsuits against site owners and managers have been making news. Most recently, a group of residents filed a class action lawsuit against the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the nation’s largest public housing agency, for apartment conditions that constitute “an...
HUD rules make it hard for you to pass on the extra cost of emergency repairs to your residents, so you’re the one who will be stuck paying them. Fortunately, you can keep emergency repair costs to a minimum by reducing the number of these repairs your site needs, and by planning ahead to...
You may think that because you take good care of your site, conduct regular inspections, and promptly fix problems, you’re prepared for your site’s upcoming HUD inspection. But it’s important to give your site a last-minute once-over to make sure you catch any problems before...
Keeping your residents cool and comfortable in the summer will do much to keep your residents happy, reduce resident complaints, and avoid HUD scrutiny. If your site's air-conditioning system breaks down this summer, some residents may even try to deduct money from their rent for the time...
