Property manager: what does he do and how to choose one?

A property manager, also known as a community of owners’ administrator, is a figure who is in charge of managing a block of houses in all matters relating to common interests and duties. It is the person in charge, as established by the Horizontal Property Law, of processing everything that has to do with the community of owners at a general level, whether in relation to the common spaces or to all those procedures that have a neighborhood scope, such as the approval of payments or the alteration of common elements or individual elements that may have an impact on the building itself.

It is a key figure, especially in those buildings that have many neighbours, since it facilitates all type of managements. That is why we will now explain what property management consists of.

What does a property manager do?

A property manager is a professional in charge of carrying out all type of managements related to a neighbourhood community, since he has the pertinent knowledge so that everything is developed in a correct way in what refers to the management of neighbourhood communities, especially if it is a building with many properties, it is always a good thing that this figure exists.

Now, what does a property administrator do exactly? We are going to see it next.

• To ensure that the coexistence between neighbours is cordial: the property administrator is the person in charge of ensuring that all the rules defined in the statutes of the community in question are complied with, acting as mediator when necessary. He/she must also ensure that the general rules of coexistence are complied with.
• To manage the economic accounts of the community: he/she is in charge of keeping the general accounts up to date, verifying that the payment of the quotas is respected and being responsible for the spending plans of any extra disbursement that may be required that may derive in a spill.
• Keeping the building it manages in perfect condition: another of the tasks of the administration of homeowners’ associations is the management of all the periodic reviews that must be carried out. In addition, in case there is any type of breakdown, he/she will be in charge of carrying out the pertinent procedures to solve it before it can get worse.
• To execute the pertinent agreements for the development of works: in case it is necessary work, the administrator community of owners will be the one who has the direct relation with the suppliers and who is in charge of carrying out the payments.
• To act as secretary in the meetings of condominiums: according to the Horizontal Property Law, the administrator may also act as secretary in a condominium meeting, with the extra functions that this entails.

Is it mandatory to have a property administrator in your community of neighbours?

No. It is not strictly necessary to have a property administrator, since these tasks can be carried out by the president of the community, by one of the members or even by another neighbour.

Advantages of hiring a community manager

Although it is not obligatory that this figure exists in a community of neighbours, it is always advisable reasons:

• It is a professional, so it has the necessary knowledge and experience so that its functions are executed in the correct way.
• They have legal security in case any of their functions are carried out incorrectly, or not done, and this means an extra expense for the community.
• They are able to mediate between neighbours in a totally unrelated manner.
• They can come to represent an economic saving, given that in addition to knowing the most affordable way to carry out any management, there is also the added advantage of being able to apply for a public subsidy.

How to choose a property manager?

There are several factors to take into account when choosing the property manager that best fits in a community of neighbours. First of all, it is essential to take into account the type of community, if it has a single building or several, if there are common areas or if there are commercial premises incorporated. In this we will be able to analyze the experience of the candidates to choose the one that can manage to the perfection all the functions of the community in question.Other aspects to be taken into account are the budget of each professional, his reputation , as well as the type of technology he uses, without forgetting the immediacy with which he is needed and the availability of the candidate.

     

Costs of a homeowners’ association administrator

As in any sector, the salary of a property administrator can vary significantly depending on many aspects, although it can be determined that there is an average cost that is between 4 and 6 euros per month per home and between 2 and 3 euros per month per parking space of the community to manage. Having this figure in the building is a key factor to take into account when you are looking for a house.