Managing to Do Better

Are you tired of late financial reports, maintenance requests that disappear, or emergency calls that go unanswered? You are not alone. Across Century Village East's 253 condominium associations, three major property management companies serve our community. While experiences vary, based on resident feedback, there's a clear pattern: standards need improvementand too many properties are experiencing inconsistent service levels.

A big reason for this challenge is resource allocation: property managers are often stretched too thin across dozens of properties. Since the Surfside tragedy, new Florida laws have added stricter reporting, safety, and reserve requirements along with additional regulatory demands. These changes not only make it harder for boards to manage their responsibilities, but they also add significantly to the workload of property managers who are working to comply with these important safety measures.

Industry standards recommend that one property manager should handle no more than about 8 to 12 associations at most. This allows them to provide the attention, responsiveness, and oversight that each community deserves. When a manager is juggling dozens of associations, they face an impossible task of adequately responding to maintenance requests, overseeing vendors, attending meetings prepared, and conducting thorough property inspections. As a result, mistakes happen, and important issues get missed or delayed, leaving owners and boards frustrated and properties neglected.

Under Florida law and accepted professional standards, your management company must deliver certain basic services. Financial statements should be accurate and delivered on time. Delinquent accounts must be managed effectively according to Florida law. Maintenance should be proactive, with contractors arriving as scheduled and quality work completed. Requests must be tracked and emergency systems reliable. Property inspections should occur at least quarterly to catch problems early. Communication must be timely and professional. Board meetings require proper preparation with clear agendas, and correspondence should be easy to understand. Calls and emails should be returned promptly.

Think about your experience. Have you seen financial reports arrive late or contain obvious mistakes? Do maintenance requests vanish without a trace? Have you attended board meetings where the manager seems unprepared or out of the loop? How often can you reach someone in an emergency? Have delinquent accounts dragged on for months without resolution? Does communication feel like a bother to the management company?

If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone and you should not have to accept it. Stop accepting "that's just how it is" as an answer when basic service standards aren't being met.

CVE has real competition among management companies. Many associations have successfully switched providers or worked with current managers to improve service. Associations can request proposals from multiple companies to compare service levels and costs.

CVE's property management companies have been community partners for years, and through clear expectations and accountability, these partnerships can improve. To all CVE residents: it's time for active engagement. Our community deserves management companies that protect property values and treat us with respect. Competition should drive excellence, not acceptance of the status quo.

If you have property management experiences to share, contact the CVE Reporter. Your voice matters.