Troy Gowen of Vantage Strata says building managers play a vital role in the upkeep of strata-managed properties, but residents should be mindful of what they can and can’t do. Photo: Vantage Strata.
The vast majority of a building manager’s job takes place quietly in the background – their success looks like business as usual, and sounds like silence. For this reason, most residents will only encounter a building manager when something goes wrong.
The nature of the work is perhaps part of the reason building managers can often be taken for granted by residents, according to strata manager at Vantage Strata, Troy Gowen.
He says it’s not uncommon for tenants and owners to get confused about the role of a building manager.
“It’s sometimes taken for granted that building managers are there to fix everything in a building, and it’s true their role ultimately fixes a lot of problems or potential problems for residents,” he says.
“What we sometimes don’t understand however, is that there are in fact laws that govern what a building manager can do without inviting liability.
“A building manager isn’t, for example, meant to fix anything inside a residential unit – they’re only there to look after common property. If your toilet is broken, they might be able to give you the name of a good local plumber, but they’re not supposed to attempt to fix it themselves.”
In a nutshell, a building manager’s job is to liaise with tenants, owners and third parties to oversee operations and coordinate maintenance, housekeeping and security activities, and ensure the facilities meet regulatory standards and codes.
Troy says where possible Vantage tries to hire building managers with trade backgrounds who are adept at “handyman duties”; but this know-how is more appropriately applied to proactively spotting issues, making informed recommendations to executive committees and owners’ corporations about improvements, diagnosing problems, and efficiently and economically coordinating solutions.
While they won’t necessarily call an electrician to change a lightbulb, their ability to fix things themselves is limited to what they can do without breaching laws or insurance regulations – that is, anything that doesn’t require a licensed tradie.
“They are there to direct traffic and monitor what happens in the complex,” Troy explains.
To do this, they run regular inspections to check everything from pool filters to gym equipment, door handles to emergency exits, garbage chutes to lightbulbs, is in ship shape.
Troy says for the most part the role commands respect, but sometimes confusion can damage the relationship between a building manager and a frustrated resident.
“When they don’t get treated with respect, it usually stems from a lack of understanding as to what a building manager is meant to do,” he explains.
“It’s in a resident’s interests to maintain a constructive relationship with a building manager; they’re there to help after all.”
One thing to bear in mind is that like any job, managing a building requires prioritisation skills.
“In an emergency situation, or where there are security or safety concerns, a building manager will try to push contractors to address the issue within a few hours. Other issues will be less important,” Troy says.
“We’ve seen in the past, when someone downsizes from a house into a strata-managed property and they want something fixed, they’re used to getting things done quickly. But there are processes involved in how that works for strata-managed properties.
“Only the building manager has a bird’s eye view on all the issues under their remit, and can balance the priorities and the parameters accordingly. So if something takes frustratingly long, it could be low on the list of priorities.”
A good building manager is a proactive person with great communication skills – someone with whom it’s easy to foster a constructive relationship.
They are also human, and not infallible, and if you do suspect an oversight, Troy says it’s worth raising it in a kind and respectful manner.
“If you’re open and honest, if you treat them with respect, try and understand what they can and can’t do, you’ll no doubt both benefit from a positive and collaborative relationship.”
For more information contact Vantage Strata.
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