London Property Management: The Importance of Maintaining Good Contractor Relationships
London property management companies will tell you first-hand that behind every well-kept property is a network of skilled contractors. From electricians, plumbers to landscapers, and pre planned maintenance professionals, they work (often very much behind the scenes) to help ensure that communal facilities run like clockwork.
While it’s easy to view these professionals as simply service providers, the success of any property management company often hinges on the strength of its relationships with these contractors. Building and maintaining strong partnerships with contractors is not just a convenience - it’s a vital strategy that impacts the quality of service, cost efficiency, and overall reputation of the company.
This week, POD explore why strong contractor relationships are so important and how we ensure the most effective collaborations.
Invaluable Partners
Contractors are invaluable partners to London property management companies, with their role playing a crucial part in maintaining the functionality, appearance, and value of the properties under management. At POD, all maintenance is carried out by third party contractors, making them an extension of our team and we strive to build long-term relationships with our contractors. Not only are those familiar with a property and its specific needs often more efficient, but they can offer greater value for money and improve resident satisfaction. Furthermore, our commitment to paying our contractors promptly ensures a level of trust and reliability between us meaning the will often prioritse POD over other property management companies when emergencies arise!
How We Procure Contractors
We understand that procurement plays a crucial role in managing and maintaining properties effectively. At POD, we believe in deploying a flexible procurement strategy that adapts to the specific category of spend.
Budget Consideration: Contracts are reviewed on an annual basis as part of our budgeting process and are tendered cyclically as per RICS requirements. Where appropriate, contract scopes and specifications are reviewed to ensure this continues to bring value for money for our customers and is appropriate for each development. Our contractors will always receive the money promptly for work carried out.
Localised Procurement: It goes without saying that we favour partners who are responsive and endeavour to become part of the community. Where possible, we choose local partners as this offers advantages, such as a more responsive supply chain, local job creation, and positive environmental benefits. This aligns with our ESG strategy and by simplifying the supply chain and employing multi-skilled local contractors, we efficiently address maintenance needs and enhance service quality.
Specialist Maintenance: Some equipment maintenance can be challenging due to the limited number of suppliers available, which often results in higher costs. By leveraging our relationship with preferred mechanical and electrical contractors, we negotiate more favourable terms to maximise their potential, a key aspect of our procurement approach.
Contractor Management
In order to build and maintain good contractor relationships, it’s important to set off on the right foot from the get-go. At POD, we have a due diligence program that each contractor must follow before a potential partnership can begin:
- Each contractor completes a vetting form to assess competency for undertaking works.
- The POD support team review the application to ensure relevant insurances and necessary certifications are in place for the type of contractor and works required.
- If approved, the contractor is requested to sign up to our contractor terms and conditions.
- Once terms and conditions are agreed to, their account with POD can go live. Only once this happens can live tasks be raised via our technology.
- We also conduct regular contractor spot checks to ensure they are carrying out works safely and adhering to our terms of engagement.
Our Technology
Our systems provide contractors with the information they need to complete a job to the best of their ability and have evolved over the years based on feedback from our contractor partners – the ultimate aim being to improve our combined ways of working to deliver the best result for the end customer.
Our platform allows contractors to log into our system and see upcoming works, overdue tasks, complete sign offs, upload documentation and even manage payments. It means that both internal and external staff onsite can see what’s being carried out, as well as any routine tasks, such as cleaning and daily checks of common areas, to avoid clashes.
Maintaining Connections
When it comes to contractor relationships in London property management, trust is key, and we believe in forging long lasting partnerships with our partners. We always aim to promote a transparent, honest and collaborative way of working. We continually aim to seek feedback to help us evolve in a way that aids their way of working, not just our own. Our contractors are one of our most important partners. With this in mind, we go above and beyond to recognise when they have done a great job, provide feedback in a constructive way and listen to any concerns, acting on them quickly and in the best way we can.
Productive communication and mutual respect between us and our contractors allow for maximised benefits for both parties and our developments. In summary, we maintain strong relationships by:
- Setting clear expectations to ensure that we are aligned in our common goals.
- Having a fair financial agreement in place and ensuring terms are always respected and met.
- Sharing and acknowledging both positive and constructive feedback.
- We hold regular meetings to ensure we keep each other updated on performance.
- We always treat contractors like our own team members.
Get in Touch
If you’d like to speak to a London property management company who genuinely value their contractor partnerships and have with a proven track record of delivering exemplary property management, POD are on hand to help you:
● Fill out our business enquiry form
● Email us at relationships@podmanagement.co.uk
● Call us on 0333 577 6656
We look forward to hearing from you!