Why preventive maintenance pays off
A regular check costs little compared with repairing a leak that has already reached a flat or the structure. It also leaves a record of what was done and when, which is useful for the owners’ meeting, the insurer and the building inspection.
You don’t need a big contract to start: a simple calendar, someone who keeps to it and a place to note every check and every repair is enough.
Every month
- Lighting in the entrance, stairs and garage: blown bulbs, motion sensors and timers.
- Entrance door: that it closes on its own, the closer doesn’t slam and the lock works.
- Door entry system: that it can be heard and opens from every flat.
- Common areas in general: new damp, loose tiles or damage that could cause falls.
Every three months
- Drains in courtyards, shared terraces and garage ramps: clean and free of leaves.
- Garage drains and inspection chambers: no blockages or bad smells.
- Garage and plant room doors: hinges, locks and closing.
- Fire extinguishers: visible, accessible and sealed. Their official check is done by an authorised maintenance company.
Before autumn
- Gutters and rainwater downpipes: cleaned and checked that water flows.
- Roof or flat roof: joints, waterproofing membrane, flashings and drains.
- Façade: loose pieces on cornices or balconies that could fall in rain or wind.
Once a year
- Paint in the entrance and stairs: touch up knocks and marks before they spread.
- Soil downpipes: check joints and access points, especially in older buildings.
- Meter room and common-area fuse box: clean, closed and with nothing loose.
- Review the year’s incidents to decide what to get quoted for the next owners’ meeting.
What has its own compulsory maintenance
The lift, fire protection and, depending on the building, gas installations or central heating have compulsory checks carried out by a company authorised for each. Keep their dates alongside the rest of the calendar.
In the city of Madrid, buildings over 30 years old must pass the Building Technical Inspection (ITE) and repeat it every 10 years; other towns have similar rules. Check your town hall’s regulations. Good preventive maintenance makes that inspection easier.
How to organise it
The most practical approach is a single point of contact who takes reports from residents or the property manager, carries out the checks on this guide’s calendar and keeps a record of every job. That way the community knows what was done, when and with which materials.
If you manage a building and want a maintenance quote, tell us about the building in the form.