Property Management Responsibilities Vs. HOA Responsibilities - Whose Job Is It?

Home Owners Associations can benefit greatly from employing the services of a reputable property management company. From handling the business and financial activities to the day-to-day maintenance tasks, a qualified and experienced property manager will be an asset to the community and the properties.

Property management companies are there to assist the HOA in daily operations, but there are still a few tasks and issues that homeowners are solely liable for. If you are concerned that your property management company may not be meeting their terms of your service level agreement, here is a brief tutorial to clearly identify the responsibilities of the residents of the HOA and the property management company.

Responsibilities undertook by the HOA

Tenants and landlords of the HOA should be prepared to handle the following issues when they arise on the property;

General building maintenance and cleanliness. While property management companies take care of the big jobs like painting, the HOA is responsible for ensuring that guidelines for tasks such as recycling and dumping trash are adhered to by the tenants of the community.

Cleaning up after pets. If the HOA terms and conditions of residence accept pets on the property, then tenants and landlords must make sure that any pet waste is cleared from common areas, this is not the task of the management company.

Vandalism is a serious issue that needs to be reported to the police. There may be insurance claims that need to be filed and only the owner or tenant can complete this process. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the HOA and the tenant or landlord to ensure that the correct reports are filed with the police.

Litter and general cleanliness of the property. The HOA is responsible for the behavior of the tenants and landlords on the property. Litter can be a common problem that can escalate quickly if it is not quickly addressed.

Property Management Company Responsibilities to the HOA

The service level agreement between the property management company should include the following points;

Scheduled & Unscheduled maintenance. Property managers are responsible for maintaining the value of the property by handling all major maintenance repairs. Unblocking drainage, fixing pipes, replacing tiling, and repairing intercom systems are all example tasks that can be written into the service level agreement between the HOA and the property management company.

General landscaping such as mowing lawns and maintaining companies will be taken care of by a landscaping company contracted to the property management company.

Maintenance and cleaning of common areas such as parking lots and bays, pool areas and entertainment facilities. All common areas should be maintained by the property manager. This does not mean that the residents can litter and leave trash lying around, the property manager will take charge of issuing fines to offending residents.

HOA Management Services taken on by your property manager will also extend to preparing financial documents and collecting any outstanding dues. All documents should be thoroughly prepared before being handed to the HOA for their inspection.