I recently received a call from a client. She was panicking since water was dripping down her living room wall. If this happened to you, who do you contact?
Resident/Site Manager
When my client called me, I told her to contact the resident manager immediately since the leak was coming from the unit above.
The resident/site manager is usually is the first line of defense. Most times, the resident manager can assist the homeowner in what he/she needs to do. This person is responsible for the day-to-day upkeep of the common areas. At the condo I live in, the site manger has a list of preferred vendors who have worked on the building or owners' units before. It's often good to check with the resident/site manager if he/she has a recommended vendor for the repair.
Board of Directors
When you purchase into a condo, the homeowners vote for a board. The general purpose of the board is to manage the common elements of the project.
My client then wrote a letter to the board to inform them about the water leak. The board then instructed the AOAO property manager to hire a vendor to inspect the interior and exterior of the unit. The association paid for the necessary repair.
AOAO Property Manager
The AOAO property manger, also referred to as the the "condo managing agent," is a third-party vendor that is hired by the homeowner's association to perform certain tasks. These tasks can range from getting bids for common area projects to collecting your monthly maintenance fee dues.
Dealing with home maintenance problems can be stressful. If the leak had started in my client's unit, the first line thing she should do is turn off the water shutoff valve. The goal is to solve the problem as soon as possible.
-Roda