Our vision of a property caretaker typically extends to just a few roles: they usually hold keys to the development, allow access for other contractors, and fix minor issues. You may not realise that caretakers carry out a variety of important work that makes them the backbone of many property developments across the country! Here are the seven things you can trust your property caretaker to help with:
Responsibility 1: Fix Small Maintenance Issues
Perhaps the most important aspect of property caretaking is the resolution of daily maintenance issues. A caretaker should understand the dynamics of your property development, which makes them the ideal port of call for any issues pertaining to your development’s communal indoor or outdoor areas. From emergency spillages to faulty lightbulbs, your property caretaker should be able to find a prompt resolution to keep residents satisfied and keep resident retention high.
Responsibility 2: Ensure Resident And Block Safety
Beyond fixing minor maintenance issues, your property caretaker also has a duty of care towards the property’s inhabitants. This pertains to ensuring that the development is safe and secure in order to ensure optimal peace of mind. Safety systems should be checked and routinely updated, CCTV should be installed if necessary, fire extinguishers should be checked and replaced if needed, and doors and windows should be secured at the end of the day. Beyond verifying the safety of existing systems, a caretaker should also recommend areas for improvement to amplify the efficacy of the development’s safety procedures.
Responsibility 3: Keeping The Development Clean
Although caretakers will likely work alongside other specialist staff, the general upkeep of the development typically lies with them. This involves keeping the communal and public areas clean and organised to provide residents with a superior living experience, minimise complaints for managerial staff, and ensure hygiene and safety. In this sense, caretakers are paramount for keeping the upkeep of your development at a consistently high standard.
Responsibility 4: Supervising Others
As diverse as the responsibilities of property caretakers are, they can’t carry out all of this work at once! Typically, caretakers will lead a group of staff, all of whom contribute to the upkeep of the development and possess different specialisms and responsibilities – from cleaners to gardeners and landscapers. Senior caretakers will likely have the experience to supervise these other staff members and point them in the direction of any works that need to be prioritised. Additionally, supervisory caretakers should be aware of their responsibility to ensure a safe working environment for these staff.
Responsibility 5: Liaising With Contractors
Besides communicating efficiently and effectively with other maintenance staff at the development, a property caretaker should also be able to comfortably liaise with contractors in the event that larger-scale works need to be carried out. The responsibility of sourcing, organising and arranging access for specialist contractors to carry out works typically lies with the caretaker. As many caretakers are responsible for multiple developments, each on a part-time basis, they typically have a list of pre-existing trusted contacts that they have collaborated with in the past, allowing them to liaise with contractors they already have a working relationship with.
Responsibility 6: Ordering Materials When Required
When cleaning staff are running out of supplies and tools, and communal area resources like paper towels, coffee and hand sanitiser are running low, the responsibility of replenishing stock typically lies with the caretaking staff. This contributes to their role of ensuring that the running of the property development is smooth and efficient, which in-turn reduces the likelihood of resident complaints.
Responsibility 7: Open and Close
At the start and end of each working day, a property caretaker will open and close the development, allowing cleaning staff and contractors into the building to continue their daily tasks and, later, safely securing the development for the safekeeping of its residents. What’s more, residents feel reassured seeing the same friendly face every morning and evening, knowing that their development is being routinely taken care of by a qualified professional.
Searching for a property caretaker that goes above and beyond?
At Virtu, we are proud to provide our clients with exceptional service – whether you’re looking for a professional cleaner, experienced landscaper, or a caretaker that you can safely leave your development with! Our caretakers take the hassle out of everyday life at your property development and can even help you avoid running up unnecessary costs, as they can cover the work of maintenance and cleaning staff for everyday minor issues. For a property caretaking service you can truly trust, contact Virtu using the link below: