Sinead Campbell from London Flats Insurance looks at the importance of annual maintenance plans.
As we enter the colder months, Residents’ Management Companies are likely preparing for the winter season and considering their plans for the coming year.
Annual maintenance plans serve as a crucial foundation for organising maintenance tasks and ensuring you meet the basic expectations of residents, property owners, and insurers. Here’s what your maintenance plan should encompass.
What is a PMP?
PMP stands for Planned Maintenance Program. It can also be referred to as ‘planned maintenance’ or ‘scheduled maintenance’ plans. Regardless of what you call it, it is your roadmap for the year.
You may well need to re-evaluate a PMP as things change throughout the year. For example, if unexpected major works are needed, other items may need to take a (safe) backseat. Ultimately, having a clear plan is essential.
Why Do I Need One?
Without a clear plan for the year, things can be missed, inspection expiries can sneak up and works can clash.
The investments of the building’s stakeholders are directly impacted by the maintenance provided. Curb appeal can drop off sharply if a building is not nicely maintained- plus your residents would like to live comfortably in a building to be proud of.
Planned maintenance also keeps costs down, with Proactive maintenance reducing the likelihood of major issues arising. You will know that a roof repair is needed before the leak starts. You will avoid anger-inducing lift breakdowns because the equipment is kept in good order- you get the idea. By planning things out across the year, costs can be spread out and budget can utilised more efficiently.
Lastly, planned maintenance programs help Residents’ Management Companies stay compliant with changing property sector regulations. It’s crucial to incorporate necessary compliance tasks into your plan to avoid legal issues.
What Should Be Included?
In a word? Everything. Every safety inspection, any planned upgrades, your seasonal works etc- everything should be mapped out across the year, with budgets allocated and expiry dates in mind.
If you are new to a property, you may need to go digging for paperwork before you’ll know which inspections are due and when. Hopefully, even if you are new to the building, this information will be stored digitally- but make sure you check either physical or uploaded certificates and assessment reports to corroborate the information.
List out everything that needs to be done across the year including legally required inspections, necessary maintenance or repairs and any upgrades you would like to see completed. Re-order your list by due date and you have the basic outline for your plan. Allocate budgets to each requirement and decide the best time to conduct each task. You can then set yourself diary reminders to book in for inspections and quotes etc in good time.
Once you have the necessities in place, you can go ahead and plan for block events, meetings etc. They can be slotted in now, so you don’t have any clashes later down the line.
Examples of what to include are below:
- Electrical installation checks
- Fire safety and Health and Safety risk assessments
- Legionella assessments
- Gutter and drain clearing
- Banister and railings checks
- Pavements, slabbing, and communal area flooring checks
- Roof inspections
- Bath, shower and sink seal checks (to avoid slow leaks)
- Annual heating system checks (including bleeding radiators while checking for valve leaks)
- Boiler servicing
Planned Maintenance and its effect on Insurance
Insurers will expect that “all reasonable precautions to prevent or minimise loss, destruction, damage, accident or injury and maintain the premises, machinery, equipment to a good state of repair.” If at the point of a claim, you cannot clearly demonstrate that you have maintained the block to the expected standard, issues can ensue, including:
- Your claim being rejected, with cover reduced or even removed.
- Your cover can be reduced or removed if works suggested via an insurance survey is not completed in a timely fashion.
- When you make a claim, a loss adjuster will pass comment on the general condition of the property and whether they believe it to be adequately maintained- so upkeep is vital.
The risks are even higher for Resident Management Companies, directors, and officers of which can find themselves facing personal claims for injuries or damage caused by their maintenance decisions.
On a brighter note, demonstrating completed and scheduled maintenance not only assures coverage but also opens the door to substantial discounts, adding a valuable benefit to your package!
For more information, please contact a member of the London Flats Insurance team on 020 7993 3034.