Please set the subtitles to English.
Property management is a multifaceted occupation. In addition to leasing, financial and technical management, the property manager must perform many general administrative tasks in the office:
The internal organization
When a property management company takes on a management mandate, the property manager must first check that all documentation is complete. The property manager must manage leases, maintenance and repair contracts, complaints, works, legal cases, finances, etc. All documents must be filed and quickly found when needed. Bids for maintenance and renovation work must be obtained, reviewed and checked. Site visits with potential tenants and tradesmen must be organized and appointments made. Work must be contracted out and invoices checked.
Information technology
The property manager must be proficient in property management software and office software such as Microsoft Office Professional or others. The management software allows the monitoring of the contracts, the leases, the collection of the rents, the liquidity management and the preparation of the heating and utilities invoices and the accounting. Systematic computer registration and daily updating allow the automation of certain tasks, such as the preparation of statements, rent statements, checklists, analysis, etc.
Telephone calls and emails
Responding to phone calls and emails takes a lot of time and is also part of the administrative work. Follow up on tasks is done mainly through phone calls and emails. Visits are organized by phone.
The administration of the rental contracts
The tenancy law is very complex and the daily situations are different. Leases, addendums, forms and agreements must be prepared. The property manager must also negotiate lease renewals and transfers, calculate rent increases and decreases, monitor deadlines, respond to tenant and owner notices and concerns.
Leasing
A leasing strategy must be well thought out. Rental offers must be written, distributed to prospective tenants, and posted on various websites and portals, and may need to be translated into other languages, often English.
The management of contracts
Subscriptions and maintenance contracts must be negotiated, finalized and monitored. Insurance policies must be taken out. A caretaker may need to be hired.
Disputes
The disputes must be settled. The property manager first tries to reach an amicable settlement before starting a lawsuit, and negotiations between tenants, owners, and attorneys are sometimes long and complicated. Files must be prepared for hearings with the judicial authorities or for transmission to the attorney. Legal proceedings can take months or years. Dunning procedures and deadlines must be met. Debt collection and bankruptcy proceedings must be monitored to ensure that legal deadlines are not missed.
The consultations
The real estate trustee advises the owners regarding the drafting of contracts and special clauses, the work to be foreseen, the leasing strategy, the choice of tenants and craftsmen, etc. He informs them regularly about the events such as notices, disputes, claims and the financial status, etc. He represents the owners before the craftsmen, tenants and authorities.The work of a property manager is very varied and entertaining. In addition to general administrative management, he or she must also take care of leasing, financial management and technical management.
© Written by Esther Lauber, Real Estate Trustee with Advanced Federal Diploma of Professional Education and Training, real estate broker and manager in Geneva
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version),from Germain into English
