Condo Media - August 2012 - 26

ASKED & ANSWERED

Maintenance Staff Freelance Work
Should Associations Allow or Prohibit it?

Q A

QUESTION: Should we allow maintenance staff the association employs to do handyman-type repair work for owners on a freelance basis, on their own time? ANSWER: This has obvious appeal for owners, who will welcome the assistance and for employees, who will no doubt appreciate the extra income. But it can create major problems for the association, primary among them:

the board accountable for it. If the light switch doesn’t work or the dishwasher continues to leak, unhappy owners will complain to the board or the manager, who shouldn’t get involved in what is a contract between the owner and the worker, but will be under considerable pressure to intervene anyway. • Workers may not always confine their freelance work to “their own time” and may shortchange the association as a result. Even if employees are scrupulous about drawing those lines, the distinctions may not be apparent to other owners, who will assume the staff members they see doing work for neighbors are making extra money on association time. Complaints and resentment are inevitable. • Workers may give preferential treatment to owners who employ them or give pricing breaks on freelance services to residents they like — another source of resentment that can breed ill will in the community. For these reasons, the managers we queried generally recommend that boards not allow their maintenance staffs to freelance for association residents. However, some associations that have maintenance staffs do offer repair services to owners, for which the association receives a fee. Devon Wood Condominium, a 400-unit community in Braintree, Mass., has been doing this successfully for several years, according to Barbara Kansky, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, the association’s general manager, who says the arrangement generates extra income for the associa-

• Although the association won’t control the freelance work its employees do, owners will almost certainly hold

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tion and provides a cost-effective, convenient service for owners. On-site staff can usually respond more quickly to repair requests than outside vendors, Kansky says, and “we charge less per hour for their services.” Because many workers have been employed by the association for many years, residents know and trust them, and therefore don’t feel they have to be present when work is being done in their units — another major advantage over using outside vendors. The board will be held responsible for the quality of the work, Kansky agrees, but it also controls what staff members do and don’t do and when they do it, which isn’t the case if they are working as freelancers. Devon Woods staff members do in-unit work for owners on designated days, twice a week, making exceptions only for emergencies so there is no risk of interfering with association duties. And the board defines and strictly limits the services offered. “We only accept work we know our staff members are capable of doing,” Kansky emphasizes. “We can install a fixture or tighten an outlet,” she says, but rewiring isn’t on the list. “We’re not going to have our guys troubleshooting an electrical problem in a wood-frame building.” Association staff also won’t change out thermostats or handle HVAC repairs. They will replace dishwashers and disposals, but only with models they have experience installing. If owners want different models, Kansky says, “we tell them to call a plumber.” While this ancillary maintenance work doesn’t generate a lot of income for the association, it is profitable, Kansky says. “And it provides a good service to residents. We think it’s a win-win for owners and for the community.” CM

CONDO MEDIA • AUGUST 2012

Condo Media - August 2012

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