Wearing face masks and social distancing has become the norm these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses have gone remote, malls and restaurants have been closed, and events have been either canceled or postponed. Everything has been impacted by the pandemic and, with all the disruptions, there’s still one thing that has been consistent in a property owner’s life, and that’s upkeep, maintenance, and repair requests.During this time of social distancing, it’s hard to know exactly what to do. Many property managers ask questions like:

• How will I provide maintenance operations to my tenants when I can’t go on-site?
• How do I ensure the safety of both my technician and residents while still getting the maintenance work done?
• How should I manage the maintenance requests for the common areas in my property?

These are tricky and difficult questions to address, but while we can’t provide answers for all of them, we have a few tips for you on how to approach maintenance requests to keep your property in order.

Only Accept Urgent Repairs

Communicate with your tenants and only accept repairs that are essential and urgent. Non-urgent repairs can be deferred and will be done at another time. Let your residents understand that this is for both their safety and the technicians. For urgent repairs, make sure that your staff has proper protective equipment such as face masks, gloves, and sanitization supplies.

Improve and Optimize Communication

It can be a challenge to communicate effectively across your team when the majority of them are working remotely and only a few technicians are on-site. Fortunately today, we have a lot of mobile apps that can help you streamline communications.

Maintain Cleanliness in the Common Areas

One way to maintain your property and prevent the spread of the virus is to regularly clean your common areas. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, railings, and shared bathrooms daily. Make sure to equip your staff with the right protective gear and post up signs around your property with hygiene practices for your residents. During this pandemic, it might be best for you to close the common areas in your property, such as the swimming area or gym, to avoid social gatherings for preventative measures.

Be Updated

The government advice during the pandemic is constantly being updated so it’s important to be up to date with the news.The pandemic has created challenges for property managers, and our health is truly the top priority. However, by taking necessary steps, being careful, and using the right tools, you can continue doing needed maintenance operations. Be proactive in communicating with your staff and residents on how you will handle maintenance and repair requests. Once you have a clear process in place, you can respond to them with confidence going forward.