Summertime in South Florida can be exciting, but it can also be challenging for homeowners associations (HOAs). When the warm weather arrives, your condominium residents will spend most of their time in communal areas such as swimming pools, picnic areas, and playgrounds. However, if these amenities aren’t maintained, your residents won’t be able to rest and relax.
To ensure that your condominium’s common areas are in excellent condition before the start of the sunshine season, our condominium managers have put together this comprehensive checklist:
Summer Maintenance Checklist for HOAs and COAs
Are you handling a homeowners or condominium owners association (COA)? If so, you should already know that it’s the association’s responsibility to oversee the day-to-day demands of the community. This includes regular maintenance and repairs.
If your HOA or COA can’t maintain common areas such as pools and playgrounds, this can result in unhappy residents. Remember, your residents are automatically considered members of the HOA or COA. With that, they’re required to pay regular dues, and in return, they expect excellent services and amenities.
To avoid potential problems such as lawsuits, it’s crucial to follow a summer maintenance checklist. Before the season starts, you should check off as many items as possible.
Stop! Before You Start Cleaning
COVID-19 has caused condominium owners to reconsider reopening community pools. State or local authorities can require HOAs and COAs to comply with certain safety protocols. If you are allowed to reopen the public pool, you should check if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new requirements, such as:
- Wearing a mask when not in the water
- Placing social-distancing stickers on the floor
- Requiring residents to shower before entering the pool
- Limiting the number of residents who can use the pool at a time
- Discouraging eating and drinking in indoor areas
- Disinfecting restrooms, showers, and seating areas
- Hiring pool monitors to ensure that people follow COVID-19 safety rules
Summer Maintenance Checklist for HOAs and COAs
#1 Conduct Pool Maintenance
If your community has a public pool, it’ll be the most populous place in the summer. After all, it’s the perfect place to cool down. To make sure that the pool will last all summer long, schedule a pool inspection as soon as possible. Ask your property manager to find a pool maintenance vendor that offers a variety of services at a reasonable price.
To prepare the pool for the summer, ensure that the tiles aren’t chipped or worn. Then, inspect the equipment such as the pool filters, pump, and so on. If your HOA or COA can’t hire a lifeguard, the least you can do is to put up the “No Lifeguard on Duty” sign.
#2 Repair Damaged Paths
Don’t disappoint dog-walkers, joggers, and the like. Walking paths are usually neglected during the fall and winter, which means that they’ll probably have one or two problems by the time summer starts. Walk along all of the paths to pinpoint areas that need attention.
Be on the lookout for trees that may be blocking the path. These should be cleared completely, as they pose a safety risk to your residents. Similarly, see to it that your residents trim their trees — the last thing you want is for someone to get hit in the face by a tree branch while they’re walking.
#3 Consider Landscaping Upgrades
Landscaping is part of the HOA or COA’s responsibilities. During the summer, put in the extra effort of transforming your public park into a paradise. Landscaping can make a massive difference in your residents’ lives. Plant flowers, trim the trees, add mulch — it doesn’t take a village to care for your community.
Plus, landscaping is an excellent way to enhance curb appeal. Since it’s your HOA or COA’s responsibility to ensure that property values remain high, this summer upgrade offers serious returns.
#4 Maintain Summer Amenities
Does your community have amenities such as pools, clubhouses, tennis courts, hot tubs, and more? Your HOA or COA’s summer maintenance checklist should include making sure these amenities are clean and functional. During the summer, these amenities will be used more than average, so keeping them in good working condition is critical.
Keep in mind that this shouldn’t be a one-time thing! You’ll need to arrange for the regular maintenance of these amenities. Don’t forget to inform your residents about the scheduled repairs — the last thing you want to deal with is a child that’s upset that they can’t use the swings!
If you’re working with a property management company, they probably have a tenant portal where you can post real-time updates regarding repairs and maintenance. At Luxury Property Care, we use the AppFolio portal to keep your residents up-to-date.
Managing Summer Maintenance Projects
To make sure that your summer maintenance projects go as smoothly as possible, keep these tips in mind:
- Plan early. Don’t wait until the end of spring to start preparing for summer. You should create a schedule and set expectations way ahead of time. Create a contingency plan in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
- Schedule repairs. Make sure to schedule repairs at the right time. This means not conducting construction work well into the night. Ideally, repairs should be done during the afternoon when most people aren’t at home.
- Update your residents regularly. Inform your residents so that they can make the necessary preparations, especially when it involves noisy They may have an important meeting to attend on the day of the summer maintenance project. Notifying them in advance gives them ample time to adjust their schedule.
- Choose the right contractors. Your HOA and COA are responsible for ensuring the safety of your residents. Hence, they should only hire reputable contractors. A property management company such as Luxury Property Care can help you find hard-working and honest
The Bottom Line
Summer is one of the busiest seasons that your HOA or COA will handle, but with a summer maintenance checklist, you can ensure that your community is ready for the season.
If your HOA or COA is having a hard time staying on top of its summer to-do list, it may be time to hire a property management company. Luxury Property Care is a team of professional property managers that has years of experience in managing multi-family properties. Call us at (561) 944 – 2992 or fill out our contact form to learn more.
