An onsite manager can be a huge perk when renting your next apartment. Long gone are the days where your landlord is banging on your door. You can picture it- possibly dressed in a house gown with rollers in her hair and a cigarette asking for you to pay your rent!
Why have an on-site landlord anyway? California code states that any multi-family building with 16 units or more requires a manager or maintenance staff living on-site . They are employed to oversee the property if the owner does not live on site. There are many reasons for this, but they are there to create a peaceful environment for you to call home!
Emergencies
An on-site’s working hours may vary, many times the position is a part time position. However, the on-site staff is on call for emergency situations 24/7. One of the most common emergencies calls an on-site receives deals with flooding or water intrusion in the apartment. I recall a time when I received a phone call from a resident at 2:00 a.m. letting me know their toilet was over-flowing. I immediately jumped into action. Went to the apartment, and turned off the water to the toilet so the water would stop overflowing. Unfortunately, the water damage was significant and considered a “Category 3” water damage. Which means the remediation process involves much more than just mopping up the water and calling it a day. Had an on-site manager not been available, the water could have kept overflowing. Resulting in a much larger problem for the resident and the property owner.
Onsites create Peaceful Enjoyment
An onsite manager is also responsible to keep the peace and cleanliness of the community. With high density living, there is a need for community rules so that everyone can enjoy their homes. One of the most common complaints an on-site receives is a noise complaint. Typically, noise complaints are civil matters and often you may be required to call the police to file a complaint. These sort of things, still need to be reported to your on-site to address the rules with the persons involved. However, many times it is just an educational moment of how to be a good neighbor. Most of the time, it is a misunderstanding of the rules and an awareness is needed of how the noise impacts a neighbor. It is rare that there is an uncooperative resident, but that can happen and that is a whole other story.
Aside from emergency situations, an onsite manager is also responsible for pro-active care of the community. The onsite is expected to have a general understanding of the mechanics of the buildings. They ensure compliance with safety regulations, and ensure proper on-going maintenance is being handled for the property. All in all, this translates into ensuring that every resident has a well-maintained home for your peaceful enjoyment.
Also, don’t forget! Not only is it a job for an on-site staff member, but it is also their home as well. Personally, as an on-site manager I take pride in my home and providing a great home for all my neighbors.
