Why a Property Manager cannot always act immediately

Why a Property Manager cannot always solve your problem immediately (and why that is exactly what good management is).

When a problem occurs in an apartment, the first reflex is often the same: I will contact the Property Manager. And rightly so. However, what many co-owners do not always realize is that a Property Manager is not a personal concierge or private service provider. A Property Manager manages the entire Owners Association (VME) and makes decisions in the interest of the entire building.
That distinction is important. Not only to avoid frustration, but also to understand why certain files require more time than it might seem at first glance.

A Property Manager manages the entire Owners Association, not one individual apartment

An apartment building is a whole. The common areas, the technical installations, and often even certain damage cases affect multiple owners at the same time.

Therefore, when one owner reports a problem, a Property Manager always considers the impact on the entire Owners Association.

• Is there damage elsewhere?
• Is the cause known?
• Are multiple apartments affected?
• Are the common areas involved?
• Is an insurance claim required?
• Which contractors or experts must first prepare their report?
• And which decision is in the interest of all co-owners?

That does not mean your problem is being ignored. On the contrary. It means that the right solution is being sought for everyone.

Why a case sometimes takes time

Take, for example, a leak in an apartment building.
An owner notices damp patches and expects the repair to start immediately. But in reality, it often first needs to be investigated:

• exactly where the cause lies
• whether multiple apartments are affected
• whether the common areas are involved
• which expert or insurer must perform a damage assessment
• which contractor must repair the cause
• which damage can only be definitively repaired afterwards

For example, when there is water damage in several apartments, the insurance can only process a file correctly after the cause has been determined and the full extent of the damage has been mapped out. Carrying out repairs before these assessments take place can even lead to disputes with the insurer or an incomplete compensation file.
What sometimes feels like a delay to an individual owner is, in reality, often a necessary procedure to avoid errors, extra costs, and new problems.

A Property Manager cannot simply have every repair carried out

An important aspect that is often forgotten is that a Property Manager cannot freely decide on every expense or major repair.

For many works, approval from the General Meeting of co-owners is required. This is not a choice made by the Property Manager, but a legal protection for all owners. After all, decisions regarding significant investments, repairs, or budgets are made collectively.

When a case is urgent and cannot wait until the next annual meeting, a Special General Meeting (SGM) can be convened. This allows co-owners to make a decision more quickly and ensures the case can be processed further without unnecessary delay.

This also requires organization and time, but ensures that decisions are made correctly and transparently.

That is why your presence at the General Meeting is so important.

Many owners expect a quick solution afterwards, but are not present themselves at the General Meeting where those very solutions are decided upon.

Yet the General Meeting is the moment when you:

• receive explanations about ongoing cases
• can ask questions
• learn about the state of affairs
• participate in decisions on major repairs
• vote on budgets and investments

Are you unable to attend? Then be sure to give a proxy to someone you trust. Valid decisions can only be made when a sufficient number of co-owners are represented. A lack of attending votes can lead to necessary works being delayed or even postponed.

By participating in the decision-making process, you are not only helping yourself, but also all other co-owners.

Why your case is not the only case

A professional Property Manager often manages multiple apartment buildings, and within each building, dozens of cases run simultaneously.

These can include:

• insurance claims
• technical defects
• roofing works
• elevator malfunctions
• maintenance of common areas
• legal inspections
• accounting of the Owners Association
• follow-up of contractors
• execution of decisions from the General Meeting

Therefore, cases are always handled according to urgency, legal obligations, and the collective interest of the Owners Association.

That does not mean your request is less important. It means that a Property Manager must constantly weigh priorities in the interest of all owners.

A Property Manager is not a personal concierge

Sometimes the unconscious expectation exists that a Property Manager will solve every individual problem immediately or provide daily personal follow-up.

However, the mandate of a Property Manager is much broader.

A professional Property Manager manages the entire building, monitors the financial health of the Owners Association, executes decisions of the General Meeting, coordinates contractors, follows up on insurance claims, and ensures that all legal obligations are met.

This requires an objective approach where the interest of the entire community always comes first.

Good follow-up is more than acting quickly

Acting quickly is important.

But acting correctly is even more important.

A repair without knowing the cause often solves nothing. Involving insurance without a complete file causes delays. Carrying out works without the approval of the owners can have legal and financial consequences. And sending a contractor without a correct diagnosis often leads to extra costs that must ultimately be borne by the Owners Association.

Therefore, a professional Property Manager does not always choose the fastest solution, but rather the most sustainable and legally correct one.

Together we make the difference

Good management of an apartment building is a collaboration between owners, residents, contractors, experts, insurers, and the Property Manager.

The better everyone understands how an Owners Association works and why certain procedures are necessary, the more smoothly files can be handled.

By attending the General Meeting, providing a proxy when you are unable to attend, and having an understanding of the entire process, you actively contribute to the efficient functioning of the Owners Association.

Because ultimately everyone wants the same thing: a well-maintained apartment building, a financially healthy Owners Association, and sustainable solutions that serve the interest of all co-owners. That is exactly what professional property management is all about.

A Property Manager does not manage individual apartments, but the interest of the entire Owners Association.

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