ASSOCIATIONS
Property maintenance can
be covered contractually
Property owners should consider using a JBCC ‘Minor Works
Contract’ to formalise often neglected maintenance of their
property, says Uwe Putlitz, CEO of JBCC.
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6
JUNE 2018
RESIDENTIAL // COMMERCIAL // INDUSTRIAL
C
utlitz says a contractual
arrangement to maintain buildings
and plant is quite different from
those contracts that pertain to new buildings
and / or alterations to buildings and could be
covered by the Joint Building Contracts
Committee (JBCC) Minor Works Contract.
“Depending on the purpose and size of
the building, the owner may choose to
establish an ‘in-house’ team to undertake
some or all maintenance work.
Maintenance of some items may be
performed in terms of product guarantees
with prescribed maintenance restricted to
authorised service providers. Quotations for
other work may be called for from specialist
maintenance contractors whose work will
usually be called for a fixed period – say,
one to three years – and subject to a
monthly retainer. Often a proviso is the
appointed contractor must be on standby in
case of an emergency. There are substantial
benefits in appointing such contractors
utilising a JBCC Minor Works Agreement,”
Putlitz suggests.
He says buildings – unlike modern cars
– invariably do not have a ‘maintenance
contract’ but the upkeep of facilities is
important to prevent loss of production or
worse consequences.
“When a lift is not working, toilets are
blocked or the lights in the office
malfunction, an unhappy tenant / user may
refuse to pay rent or renew a lease, and
prospective tenants may choose another
building. It is therefore essential for the
property manager or owner to constantly
monitor the condition of the building, its
various services and surroundings.
“A management plan and budget to
regularly maintain or service the facility
should be put in place, preferably using a
Neglecting maintenance of buildings can result in mounting expenses.
formal agreement such as our JBCC Minor
Works Contract. Specified remedial action
to maintain the property may then be
carried out after hours and / or over
weekends or during the ‘off’ season to
minimise inconvenience to users and
hamper productivity.”
Putlitz believes ignoring maintenance of
a property could also be hazardous.
“Where the continued operation or the
use of an element of the works become
dangerous – or life threatening – this threat
must immediately be remedied. Other
symptoms of underlying problems, for
example, bubbles in wall plaster work or
exposed concrete, water and / or rust
staining, fungal growth and tile lifting also
require urgent attention to prevent
escalating maintenance expenses.
“In fact, the identification of defects
during a maintenance inspection is the
ideal opportunity to evaluate the status of
the entire building to review its value as a
property investment. It may be the right
time to decide to sell the building before it
loses its attraction to others; or whether to
take steps to comply with changing
consumer demands and compliance with
energy use and / or health and safety
regulations,” he adds.