Condo Media - May 2024 - 30

The Region MAINE
l Project Management: Overseeing
maintenance and repair of common
assets; preparing and overseeing service
contracts; hiring condo personnel; and
ensuring project schedules and work
scopes are accomplished.
l Operations Management: Overseeing
the daily operations of the complex;
ensuring the facilities are safe for both
owners and personnel; and confirming
board policies are followed.
l Communication Management: Provide
meetings and newsletters to keep unit
owners abreast of the condo's status; serve
in the role of liaison between the board and
the owners; and address owners' concerns.
Property
Manager
Responsibilities
...or Not [By Jack Carr, P.E., LEED-AP]
Over the last 20 years, when things go wrong at condo complexes, I often
get a call to provide solutions. Sometimes the call comes from the property
manager, and sometimes it is from a member of the board. Sometimes the call
is from a unit owner. These types of inquiries remind me there is often confusion
over the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in condo living.
From my experience, often the real hero of a successful condominium
community is the property manager. This manager is the glue holding together
the many elements making up a modern condo. However, the property
manager is not responsible for everything despite how it seems sometimes.
MANAGER ROLE
Let us first consider the typical property manager responsibilities:
l Financial Management: Preparing the budgets for the board; preparing
statements and tax returns; collecting fees from the owners; paying for
services; maintaining the reserve funds; and scheduling audits to ensure
financial transparency between the owners and the board.
30 CONDOMEDIA May 2024
l Conflict Management: Monitor conflicts
developing between the board and unit
owners or between owners; provide
the initial interpretations of rules and
regulations to avoid simple conflicts
from rising to legal actions.
Problems arise, however, when issues develop
that should be dealt with by the board
or between unit owners themselves and the
property manager is dragged into the matter.
BOARD ROLE
When conflicting issues develop between
unit owners, the board should have policies
in place stating the manner and procedure of
how conflict between unit owners should be
resolved. When this process does not resolve
the issue, the matter should be presented
to the board - not the property manager.
Examples of typical unit owner conflicts are:
l Plumbing: Piping leaks or drainage
problems between units should be
overseen by the owners or their respective
insurance companies. Only when
common elements are damaged should
the property manager be involved.
l Pest Infestations: Unsanitary or other
conditions in one unit can cause a pest
infestation to spread to adjacent units.
The board should provide instructions
on how to avoid this problem and how to
promptly manage it when it does occur.
Condo Media - May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - May 2024
