Planned Maintenance

Owners or tenants having responsibility for repairs to larger buildings often take a proactive approach to maintenance by putting in place a Planned Maintenance Programme. The preparation of such a programme usually involves undertaking a building survey, very likely including the services installations, and thereafter scheduling and costing the necessary remedial works to be undertaken at set times over a period. The period may be an arbitrary figure, say 10 years or the balance of the term of the lease.

The scheduled works may include routine or periodic repairs, decorations, replacements, improvements, Health & Safety obligations, and indeed any other works likely to be required over the term of the lease. Additional costs such as professional fees are also included.

Thus with a schedule setting out the work required, the time it is required and the estimated cost of the remedial works, the person responsible for the maintenance of the property can accurately budget in advance for the remedial works required and avoid the need for large expenditure at the end of the lease term. Sometimes a sinking fund can be set up to cater for larger items of known or likely future expenditure such as the replacement of boilers or lifts.

Planned maintenance programmes are especially useful for the Landlords of multi-tenanted properties where the tenants contribute to the upkeep of the property by way of a pre-set Service Charge.

Stephen D Buxton & Associates regularly undertake the preparation of such plans and thereafter often organise and oversee the necessary remedial works.