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What is Commercial Property Maintenance & Why is it Important?: A Guide

Keeping your property in top condition is a priority for any business or commercial landlord. From ensuring the exterior areas of your property are neat and tidy to meeting regulations for internal property care and maintenance, a lot of work goes into keeping all aspects of a property running smoothly. The solution that many businesses choose is hiring a commercial property maintenance company, leaving the upkeep tasks to a trained team of specialists for peace of mind.

 

Whether you’re planning to purchase a commercial building or are currently handling property maintenance, our guide covers why these services are essential and how to choose the right provider for your needs. We answer the question ‘What is property maintenance?’ and more in our complete guide below.

What Exactly is Commercial Property Maintenance?

Commercial property maintenance is a catch-all term for any facility maintenance in and around a commercial building of any shape or size. For instance, an office building may have a property maintenance service that handles landscapinglighting repairsplumbing and fixtures maintenance on-site, keeping the property looking its best and ensuring visitors and employees have access to all necessary services.


As the term ‘commercial property maintenance’ is broad, companies often want to know ‘what does a property maintenance company do day to day?’. The answer to this question can vary depending on the business itself, the level of maintenance required, and any special services needed. For example, a commercial property with 
HVAC will require repair and maintenance for that system.

 

The ultimate purpose of property maintenance is to keep the building clean and safe with high integrity. By addressing problems and proactively preventing damage or wear and tear, commercial property owners can ensure they meet regulatory requirements while improving their curb appeal and the functionality of business operations.

Commercial Property Maintenance

Who is Responsible for Commercial Property Maintenance?

If you own a commercial property, you must ensure your building meets the necessary standards, reducing the risk of harm to employees and the public. As you are the property owner, you are the person who will be implicated if you fail to match particular rules and regulations. However, that doesn’t mean you need to be the person to coordinate or conduct property maintenance within your commercial property directly. Even if you’d like to be hands-on with building maintenance, hiring professionals for electrical, plumbing and HVAC services is usually a requirement.

 

Beyond hiring workers, building owners can also pass the responsibility of managing day-to-day property maintenance to a service provider. A specialist property maintenance company typically handles every aspect of the building’s repairs, maintenance and care, with a network of experts to conduct specific work. You can choose to hire a single person for property maintenance, or you can form a contract with a larger company of outsourced professionals to suit the needs of your building. Many property owners with more than one building choose to work with a larger property maintenance company to cover all their facilities in one.

 

Finally, commercial property owners who rent out their facilities can also choose to place maintenance responsibility on tenants. In their contract, they may state that the tenants need to upkeep the building themselves or specify that they should hire a property maintenance company. This option is standard in certain commercial buildings, such as office spaces, where the tenant is responsible for keeping the building in good condition.

The Benefits of Commercial Property Maintenance

Expertise
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Property maintenance companies have the benefit of being experts at what they do. Ensuring properties are well-maintained and in line with appropriate rules and regulations is their primary job, making them an ideal choice to ensure work is completed to a high standard and obligations are met. Depending on the provider you choose, property maintenance companies typically have in-house specialists or trusted, outsourced partners for specific areas of property maintenance, such as HVAC and plumbing.

 

This expertise is also beneficial in the event something happens that requires an urgent, specialist response. For instance, a qualified and trained maintenance company would be able to respond quickly to a flood or electrical failure, ensuring continuity of service and reducing on-site risk. When you outsource, you benefit from years of expertise without needing to learn everything yourself.

Saves Money
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Property maintenance companies often work on a contracted basis. You usually pay a flat fee for their services monthly, with no unexpected costs or sudden bills. This setup makes it easier to budget for maintenance and care of your property throughout the year, ensuring you typically know what you’ll need to pay monthly.

 

If repairs or reactive maintenance is needed, property maintenance companies will often have pre-defined fees and costs for emergency services. These costs also help property owners save money by understanding exactly how much they’ll need to pay if something goes wrong, preventing inflated prices from random, outsourced professionals. As property maintenance providers are specialists, there’s also less chance of error, reducing the cost of mistakes.

Saves Time
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One of the most significant benefits of hiring professional commercial property maintenance providers is the time it saves for property owners. Businesses or individuals with an extensive portfolio of properties, in particular, don’t have enough hours to handle maintenance without hiring staff to coordinate and manage everyday requirements. Outsourcing to a specialist provider reduces this burden, saving a significant amount of time each day.

 

As trusted specialists, property maintenance companies for the commercial sector also save time by making decisions to align properties with regulations and requirements. For instance, if HVAC filters need replacing, a property maintenance company could complete this regularly and bill the property owner, with no need for the owner to approve purchase orders for materials, sort the day for filter replacement or be involved in the maintenance process.

The Costs of Commercial Property Maintenance Services

The cost of property maintenance services depends on a few different factors. Firstly, the level of coverage you need for your buildings is a crucial factor. A company that offers landscaping, rubbish removal, and external and internal maintenance will typically have a higher monthly cost than a company that only provides interior maintenance services. Secondly, the complexity of maintenance can affect how much you pay. A smaller building with simple needs will have very different maintenance requirements than a high-rise office block.


It’s important to consider quality alongside cost to balance a service that meets regulations and legal requirements while fitting within your budget. Some property maintenance companies may be more affordable but complete low-quality work or don’t leave your building looking its best. In addition to the standard contracted hours for maintenance, you’ll also need to cover costs for repairs, emergencies and potentially weekend or evening service as required. Some property maintenance providers include coverage, while others allow you to pay as needed.

Typical Commercial Property Maintenance Tasks

Property maintenance specialists cover a wide range of tasks and specialisations as a part of their services. Depending on the type of property and level of maintenance required, these tasks can vary. When talking about ‘what is property maintenance?’, some of the most common jobs covered by property maintenance providers include:

HVAC

The ongoing maintenance, installation and repair of HVAC systems is a standard option for many commercial buildings. As HVAC is more widely used in commercial properties, such as offices, leisure centers or shops, many property maintenance companies include this service as standard. HVAC requires consistent maintenance and care to remain safe and meet legal standards, which property maintenance specialists can keep on track.

Landscaping

Landscaping the exterior of a commercial property is a regular part of many maintenance contracts. Commercial properties want to look their best, improving curb appeal for storefronts or providing a positive first impression of the business at an office. Anything from maintaining plants and flowers to cutting back trees is included in maintenance contracts. Cleaning external signage and ensuring car parks are debris-free are everyday landscaping tasks.

M & E

Mechanical and electrical services are integral to keeping workplaces and public areas safe for use. Property maintenance teams often work with trusted partners or electricians and mechanics in-house to ensure properties are thoroughly checked, and repairs are carried out to the highest standards. Anything from lighting to server room technology applies to these tasks to meet legal standards and regulations.

Plumbing

Many commercial properties have plumbing requirements, whether it’s office bathrooms, kitchens, or more complex systems used for machinery or storage. Property maintenance usually includes plumbing maintenance and care services as part of contracted work, with the option for repair and fast response to plumbing problems such as flooding or leaks.

Security

Safety checks for various on-site systems are standard for many property maintenance providers, from testing fire alarms and sprinklers to ensuring security systems work appropriately. Depending on requirements, property maintenance companies can also handle the installation of security systems and the ongoing care to keep them running, such as maintaining cameras, resetting access and managing access to footage and data.

General Maintenance

General maintenance covers many of the expected services offered by property maintenance companies. For instance, care of communal areas such as stairways and lifts to keep them clean and clear. Roof and gutter repair and cleaning are often part of regular cleaning, alongside waste disposal and regularly checking the structure and central systems within the building.

Choosing the Right Commercial Property Maintenance Provider

Choosing the right commercial property maintenance provider is key to maintaining standards and ensuring your property is safe year-round. With many different options out there, you must consider the factors that are most integral to meeting standards for your particular property. For instance, do you need special electrical and HVAC services in temperature-controlled rooms? Do you have multiple large buildings that need regular care and maintenance? Deciding on what you need can make finding a provider that suits you an easier task.

As property maintenance specialists, PPVS can ensure your needs are met as a property owner. Our specialist team adapts to your requirements, ensuring you meet standards within your budget. We cover everything necessary to keep your building in top condition. Contact our team directly to discuss your requirements on 01733 244414, or fill out our contact form.

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