Whether you own student accommodation or a sprawling industrial complex, it is essential to find a property maintenance company you can trust to look after your investment.
Let’s face it, you need to leave the important tasks to the experts so that your property is maintained to the highest standard. However, choosing a reliable and experienced company is easier than it sounds, which is why we have put together the following guide.
What needs doing?
Before you go rushing out to find a provider, you first need to identify your precise property maintenance requirements. Having these specifications to hand will make it easier for you to narrow down a shortlist of potential companies.
As an example, here are some services you may wish to consider:
- Cleaning: probably the most common property maintenance requirement. How often does your site need cleaning? Do you need a deep clean or a more specialist service?
- Internal repairs: from replacing light bulbs to fitting new flooring, calculate how much needs to be done over the next 12 months.
- External repairs: these are usually less frequent than internal tasks, but they can be much bigger. For example: roofing, guttering, windows, security and car parks.
- Gardening/landscaping: if your property has a green space, you will need to schedule grass cutting and hedge trimming.
- Emergency service: whether it’s a boiler breakdown or a leaking roof, you will need to have immediate access to a maintenance engineer.
Do your homework
Now that you know what services you might require, you can now start to assemble a list of potential property maintenance companies.
Before you approach anyone, spend some time to research each provider to get a better understanding of what they offer. Visit their websites and create a spreadsheet or checklist so you can easily compare their services. Pay particular attention to any specialist services, industry certifications or trade associations.
For each shortlisted provider, prepare a list of questions so you can fill in any blanks. In particular, ask what services are done in-house and what work is done by sub-contractors.
Speak to your shortlist
After you have researched your potential providers, it is now time to approach each one in turn. Don’t be afraid to ask the questions you prepared, so that you have a full understanding of the service level on offer and their pricing structure.
Every provider will probably have a different contract policy, so ensure you know their terms and what is included. You don’t want to be hit with an unexpected bill for a service you thought was included.
Don’t forget to cover the all-important health and safety measures and security questions, such as insurance, staff vetting, and identification cards.
Once you have finished the conversation, you will have a better understanding of how the company works and the level of their communication skills. If you still have doubts, they’re probably not the property maintenance provider for you.
Learn more about Silvertons
Established more than 50 years ago, Silvertons have an enviable reputation for delivering top quality shopfitting and property maintenance services to clients across London, the south east and the UK. As a friendly, family-run business, our customers love our personal service and the fact we treat them as individuals.
Contact us today to find out more about our property maintenance services…
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