Property Management is one of the most underrated industries, not only in Singapore, but other parts of the world. But the scope of Property Management is immensely wide ranging; from understanding the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA) and various Building Maintenance and Strata Management Regulations to the other authority’s statutory regulations such as SCDF, NEA and LTA. The amount of information in the above mentioned Acts and Regulations is mammoth.

In addition, property management encompasses having the knowledge of diverse materials such as tiles, timber, glass, metal, acrylic and various Singapore Standards and Code of Practices. Furthermore, they are expected to have a good understanding on various systems such as swimming pools, fire protection system, electrical, sewage, pumps and mechanical ventilation.

And the most difficult part would be managing Councils, Subsidiary Proprietors, Tenants, Cleaners, Guards, Landscape workers, swimming pool maintenance and so on. This is because they can range from a low educated cleaner who cannot speak English to a lawyer or businessman and to foreigners who a tenants and come with different cultures and belief system. This can be is very challenging as the staff at site would be required to change his tone, style, approach and language of speech every other minute depending on who he or she is communicating with. This is art and science at the same time. How can one remain composed and calm and professional at the same time?

Having the system and the ability to take preventive actions rather than reactive is another aspect of a good property management. Spotting a problem before it occurs or escalating differentiates a good property management to an average one.

This does not mean the more established or the bigger Managing Agents can or are doing this. It depends on many factors such as the staff at site, his or her immediate manager, the level above and all the way to the top. Unfortunately, due to lack of good staff, recruitment policies and company directions, many MA do not or could not manage properties effectively.  The irony of it all is some MCST are willing to increase other service provider fees, but not willing to likewise for the Managing Agent fees who are almost overseeing everything in the daily running or the estate. Maybe the MCST probably feels that Managing Agent do not do much but in reality, we are the frontrunners in upkeeping a safe, sound and well managed estate. But unfortunately, because many MCSTs don’t resonate that, good staffs eventually feel unrewarded and leave the industry.

Property Management is a very important and diverse industry. If a SP is paying X number of dollars for maintaining their unit per annum, just imagine how much Property Management should be paid for managing the whole building or estate which is more than a few hundred times bigger and has more facilities. So everything comes with a price and some prices are worth paying because it involves the safety and lives of so many people. We all want to come back home seeing a Managing Agent and his/her team smiling to welcome us home.