Managing Complaints from Residents

Whether you lead a Fortune 500 company or an HOA, you can’t make everyone happy all the time. Part of leading any sized organization involves managing complaints from stakeholders. Many HOA board members find this to be their least favorite part of the job. Some of the most common resident complaints include issues related to:

• Maintenance
• Speeding
• Pets – barking, walking off-leash, acting aggressively
• Noise or other nuisances, such as unkept properties, parking violations,
• Smoking – this can especially be an issue in condo buildings where the smoke can seep into other units
• Pests – mice, insects or other infestations

As a board member, residents expect you to thoughtfully listen to their complaints and act on them. Here are some tips that can help you through this trying process:

• Develop a formal complaint process and ensure residents know about it. Devote space to explaining the process on the website and/or the association newsletter so residents know how to file a complaint rather than just grumbling about it to board members in the elevator.
• If you or other board members are stopped by residents with complaints, let them know that you’re sorry to hear they are upset, then direct them to the formal complaint process.
• Require that complaints be submitted in writing. This could be accomplished by sending the complaint through email, mail, or a form via the website. Once the board receives the complaint, let the resident know that their complaint is being investigated so that they know they are being taken seriously.
• If you are able to easily rectify the situation causing the complaint, do so as expeditiously as possible and let the resident know the issue is resolved. In some cases, this may not be possible. When necessary, check the HOA governance documents or with an attorney before issuing a resolution.  This is especially important in issues involving harassment or discrimination. In complex situations, you may need to interview the resident complaining, other residents, staff members, or the resident being complained about before resolving the situation.
•  If the complaint involves a compliance issue, promptly send out a warning letter to the resident who violated a rule.
• If your community has a property manager, they are a great resource as a first line of response for complaints. They can triage any complaints that come in, immediately inform the maintenance staff of any maintenance issues, as well as investigate any compliance issues. They can forward more complex issues or governance issues to a designated board member for board review. 

If your board of directors manages all your residents’ complaints itself, it’s time to consider a property manager to direct this process for you. Contact the experts in property management, CCM, to learn more about how we can remove the burden of this process for you.

Consolidated Community Management (CCM) is a full-service property management company specializing in condominium and homeowner association management in Broward and southern Palm Beach Counties.  We are committed to working together with community Boards of Directors to develop management plans tailored to the unique requirements of each community and their residents.

CCM provides a quality of service that is unique to our industry and consistently delivers a distinct competitive advantage.  Our concentrated, extensive local presence and knowledge of community associations results in lasting partnerships and superior service.  We have built our industry reputation on employing the best in the business and assigning only a limited number of properties to each Property Manager Team.

Our team at Consolidated Community Management provides expert property management services at competitive prices.  Contact us today by calling (954) 718-9903 or clicking on ccmfla.com.