An apartment block can have hundreds of individual flats, but they’re not the only spaces that need to be maintained. A tenant may be responsible for looking after their individual unit, but the property owner is responsible for the maintenance of common areas.
Let’s begin with a definition of a common area in a flat. Common areas of apartment buildings include lobbies, hallways, lifts, stairs, terraces, basement garages, parks, swimming pools, gyms, community centres, footpaths within the property grounds, and other areas used by all residents.
If you’re a newly appointed RMC director and want to understand the rules for communal areas in flats, you’ll find the information you need here. As a leading block property management company, Habitare can assist you with the management and maintenance of common areas.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some key tips for maintaining common areas within your property.
Who is Responsible for Maintaining the Communal Areas
Who is responsible for maintaining and managing the common areas? In nine out of ten scenarios, it’s the landlord or property owner and RMC directors. It’s your job to oversee integral aspects of property maintenance, like building insurance, central heating, lighting, and cleaning of the common areas.
As an owner, if you rent your flat, you need to include a clause about your tenant’s duties towards maintaining the common area. A tenancy agreement will typically mention that tenants are responsible for keeping the common areas, such as hallways and stairways, empty, and not blocking them with furniture or other items, which can hamper access during emergencies
Leaseholders can write a petition to the landlord for the Right to Manage. If they take over the building management, they’ll help collect service charges, maintain communal areas, ensure overall building structure maintenance, and assist with resolving any complaints from other leaseholders.
As a property owner, RMC director, or leaseholder, you may feel more comfortable outsourcing your property maintenance to a professional block property management company like Habitare. We offer end-to-end property management services, including regular inspections and maintenance of common areas.
5 Ways to Manage Communal Areas in Apartments
Follow these five tips to effectively manage the communal areas in your apartment.
1. Make Sure Common Areas Are Kept Clear
Common areas in flats are often in the path of fire evacuation, and restricting access makes it difficult to evacuate people or for firefighters to access higher floors. A cluttered lobby or hallway can also look unattractive, which is annoying for other tenants.
RMC directors and property managers should strictly implement the rule that common areas are kept clear. As the owner, you need to make sure your tenants understand the need to keep common areas clear of any obstacles. On-site staff also need to be aware of the rule, so they don’t store any equipment or flammable objects in the hallways or staircases.
2. Be Aware of Noise Levels
As a property owner, leaseholder, or RMC director, you should also educate every resident about the acceptable noise levels in common areas. Your residents should understand that you have zero tolerance when it comes to playing loud music or arguing in common areas, which disrupts other residents’ peace.
Noise levels in the communal area mustn’t exceed 34 dBA, and you’ll need to inform your tenants that any excessive noise or disturbance is prohibited between 11 PM and 7 AM. If some residents are planning a community event, like a New Year’s Eve party, make sure to inform every resident and get their consent.
3. Conduct Regular Inspections and Maintenance
It’s important to undertake regular inspections and maintenance of common areas for the health and safety of the premises. As the RMC director or landlord, you should regularly inspect the windows, stairs, landings, hallways, gutters, roofs, lights, and other fittings, alarms, and garden areas.
If you notice any issues in the common areas of apartment buildings, you should take immediate action. You may choose to hire on-site staff to help with the upkeep of the communal areas, like regularly cleaning and sweeping and outsource repair work to contractors.
4. Educate Residents on Fire Safety
It’s also important that you’re aware of the communal areas in flats fire regulations. As a property owner, property manager, or freeholder, you’re responsible for fire safety requirements in communal areas. That means making sure the common area is kept clear, with no flammable items stored in this space. You’ll also need to ensure that the doors in these areas aren’t kept open and that no fire alarms and fire fighting equipment are damaged.
You need to stringently implement the rules for communal areas in flats to ensure that all residents and staff are following fire safety regulations. Your own responsibilities include undertaking regular fire assessments of communal areas, installing fire doors to separate common areas from individual flats, and ensuring the area remains unobstructed.
You should also install fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and extinguishers, and conduct regular fire drills, so residents are aware of what to do in emergency situations.
5. Remember Outdoor Communal Areas
Communal areas also include outdoor spaces, like gardens and open areas. When you’re drafting the rules for communal areas in flats or blocks, make sure to mention the upkeep of the landscaping, weed removal, and garden maintenance, if required by the tenant.
If there are any plants, make sure they’re pest and disease-free. For larger trees on your property, trim the branches facing the building to minimise potential damage to the property during storms or winter.
Contact Habitare for Comprehensive Block Property Management Solutions
Maintenance of common areas is essential for ensuring the health and safety of the block and staying compliant with building regulations. There’s a lot of work involved, and this can often feel overwhelming for landlords and leaseholders.
Habitare’s team of skilled professionals is here to assist with your property management duties. We provide regular inspections, property maintenance, secretarial services, contractor management, and dispute resolution among residents. Our block property managers reduce the burden of managing common areas of apartment buildings and ensure you remain compliant with regulatory standards.
To learn more about our services, connect with us today.