You’re not happy. The entrance light to your unit is on the blink and the swimming pool pump doesn’t seem to be working properly. Now what? Relax … your trusted Building Manager is probably on the case already and will have the problem solved before you know it. But what exactly does a Building Manager do?
They Maintain Common Assets
The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 classifies a Building Manager as a ‘service contractor’, and a Building Manager’s role in general is to carry out the Body Corporate’s duties in terms of the management of the property involved.
Your Building Manager may be a resident (and/or have letting agency rights) and their main responsibility is to upkeep the maintenance of your building’s common area ‘assets’– from the signage, gardens and exterior lighting, to shared facilities and equipment like the pool, gym, lifts, air conditioning and security systems.
They Action Insurance Claims
Building Managers, should be familiar with the Body Corporate’s insurance policies, which may include the Building and Common Area Contents, Public Liability, Building Catastrophes, and things like injury compensation, machinery breakdowns and incident claims. One of a Building Manager’s responsibilities is to manage claims on behalf of the Body Corporate and ensure the matters are dealt with effectively and efficiently.
They Monitor By-Laws
Most Building Managers also have the duty of policing Body Corporate By-Laws. This can include:
- Consulting Queensland’s Residential Tenancy Act to confirm tenant breaches if they are contracted to do so.
- Advising owners/occupiers of any breaches and requesting they remedy the breach.
- Instigating a written request for the owner/occupier to rectify the breach (which should also be sent to the Body Corporate Committee Secretary) if the breach continues.
- Bringing the matter to the attention of the Body Corporate Committee via the Body Corporate Manager if the matter is still not resolved
They Keep Records
Building Managers should also keep detailed and up-to-date records in terms of things that the Body Corporate may need to be aware of. These can include:
- A diary – of maintenance issues, discussions, and incidents of concern, including By-Law breaches, equipment failures, injuries etc.;
- A contractor register – of regular contractors and their routine maintenance activities;
- An asset register – of all Body Corporate assets which details their state of repair, date of purchase etc.;
- Keys – a list of all key holders and details of the type and number of keys held.
They Liaise With The Body Corporate
The Body Corporate Committee ensures the Body Corporate operates smoothly and makes the appropriate decisions in order to ensure this. They will regularly meet to address issues and in most cases, the role of a Building Manager is to also attend these meetings. The Building Manager will also normally be required to table a written report, which could include:
- A summary of the activities and/or issues that have occurred since the last meeting;
- Requests for any work required and quotes provided that need approval from the Body Corporate;
- Advice of completion of any works requested by the Building Manager since the last meeting.
In terms of day-to-day liaising with the Body Corporate Committee, a ‘nominated person’ will usually be appointed who will deal directly with the Building Manager.
They Ensure a Safe Environment
One of the main benefits of having a resident building manager is that they are on-site to take care of issues as they arise, which means things are normally dealt with quickly. So quickly in fact, that you probably won’t even know there was a problem in the first place!
Building managers can also enforce access restrictions, including of (unwanted) after-hours guests and tradespeople. This means as an owner/occupier, you can focus on loving where you’re living without having to worry about the safety of your property or those that live there.
Have a question about your Building Manager’s responsibilities or like to find out more about our Body Corporate Management services? Get in touch!
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