If you’re part of an owners corporation and are looking to take on the services of a high quality strata management company, you might not be entirely sure on what to go by when making your decision, particularly if you’re new to the field. There are in fact quite a few considerations that need to be made when making this decision, so in this article we take a look at a few of the most important ones to give you a better idea of what to look for.
Do they have all the skills necessary?
Along with selecting the best possible owners corporation lawyers in Melbourne, selecting a good strata management company is an important means to safeguard the health of your property. And if it does all go pear shaped, you’ll at least have your lawyers to help manage any issues that eventuate. The first and perhaps most important thing you should look for when considering a strata management company is their experience in the field. Because every strata title and owners’ corporations will inherently be different, a strata management company with true experience will have previously dealt with a wide variety of operations. If you have an apartment building, for example, you shouldn’t just be looking for a company that is well versed in the same type of building – find one that also knows the ins and out of townhouse or spread out units will ensure you have access to a knowledge base that could potentially prove valuable. Similarly, it is wise for you to check the relevant qualifications of your strata manager – understanding what they know on paper combined with their demonstrated experience should give you a very clear picture that you’re dealing with someone who understands about all sorts of properties, such as those in the financial, commercial and residential industries.
What services does the strata management company offer?
Whether you’re looking for a very specific service or a full-service approach from your strata management company, you should ensure that these services are stipulated in any contract that is signed. This is to ensure that the management company will be held accountable should anything go wrong or if they refuse to perform certain services should they need to. Common service levels can include important things like responding to maintenance requests within a specific timeframe, ensuring common property is kept clean and tidy at all time, ensuring insurance policies are renewed on time, directing the building manager to carry out needed works on the property and taking the time to regularly attend meetings throughout the year. Similarly, you should expect a good strata management company to provide regular reports so you can stay on top of everything that is going on.
Is your strata management company committed?
Although services, experience and qualifications are very important to the success of your strata management company, as well as owners corporation lawyers there also needs to be some amount of commitment and dedication. You should expect them to reply to all forms of communication in a timely fashion and not prioritise certain clients, as even if you have a comparatively small portfolio than others, that shouldn’t matter in the eyes of a highly professional management company.
