Written by Nick O’Donnell, Later Living Senior Associate Director, FirstPort.
Maintenance is often viewed through a practical lens. This includes keeping buildings safe, compliant and in good condition. In later living developments, however, maintenance is about much more than the physical fabric of a building. The communal lounges, corridors, gardens and shared spaces that residents use every day play an important role in creating a welcoming and enjoyable place to live. As a result, maintenance and improvement projects provide a valuable opportunity for managing agents to build trust with residents and demonstrate their commitment to the communities they manage.
Residents often take great pride in the way their development looks and feels, especially those in later living communities who may spend more time enjoying the communal areas available at their development. For this reason, managing agents should not just impose standards that they deem fit, but they should consider how best to bring their residents into conversations about the places they live in.
When it comes to maintenance of our buildings, particularly internal decorations, we start by liaising with trusted suppliers to secure a series of swatches and samples that we can present to homeowners. This includes mood boards, design ideas, and colour choices, as we recognise that not all homeowners will have the same aesthetics and opinions.
When we recently renovated a communal lounge at a later living development, we worked with our suppliers to provide samples of furniture, allowing residents to familiarise themselves with the colour schemes proposed for the renovation before making a decision. To finalise the design choice, we operated a ballot system where all residents dropped a token into a box for a colour scheme to indicate their vote, and we presented the majority vote to the residents before starting on works.
This approach gives resident across our communities a chance to have some input into the design of the spaces they share. Bringing them into the conversation increases the likelihood of satisfaction with the outcome and it also creates excitement as they anticipate how the changes are going to elevate and modernise the property.
We have found that residents value being part of these conversations. While it is not always possible to accommodate every individual preference, providing opportunities for residents to share their views helps create a sense of ownership and pride in their community. It reinforces the message that their opinions matter and that they play an important role in shaping the environment around them.
Creating an environment where residents can be involved in decision-making provides greater transparency and insight into the processes behind managing a development. It helps residents understand not only what decisions are being made, but why they are being made, creating a stronger sense of trust.
That trust becomes particularly important when challenges arise. Whether it is an unexpected repair, a major refurbishment project or a difficult maintenance issue, we are far more likely to have positive engagement when there is already an established relationship built on openness and communication. When people feel informed and listened to, conversations become more constructive and solutions are easier to achieve together.
Property management is often associated with buildings, budgets and maintenance schedules. While all of those things are very important, they are only part of the picture. In reality, good property management is about people. It is about understanding what matters to residents, listening to their views and creating communities where people feel valued, informed and supported.
When residents are involved in shaping the places they call home, everybody benefits. Decisions are better informed, projects run more smoothly and communities become stronger and more connected. For managing agents, maintenance is not simply about preserving a building. It is an opportunity to build lasting relationships, strengthen trust and demonstrate a genuine commitment to the people who live there.
