No one actually loses anything anymore.  Maintenance took it.

So if you can’t find your gold ring that you KNOW you left right on the table, it can’t be your memory or that you misplaced it.  Or if you are a beer short in your refrigerator, it can’t be that your teenager sneaked it while you were out.  Or if you left change on your dresser and it’s gone, or if the blinds are moved, or any other of a list of other things, it has to be that Maintenance did it. 

I even remember one resident who stopped up her commode late one night, and then fussed at me because Ben (SUPER Maintenance Supervisor) supposedly used her towels to clean up the after-hours overflow.  It was actually towels he brought to the scene of the crime, and she neglected to apologize for accusing Ben. 

Our maintenance team is so vulnerable, so it’s important to hire well, train well, and then protect your maintenance team from accusation.  Some ways Maintenance Professionals can do that are:

·       Keep track of any keys to apartment homes that leave the office and when they are returned

·       Document how long you are in the apartment on a particular work request

·       Don’t go in any part of the home you don’t need to

·       Don’t move anything you don’t need to

·       Always put a “Maintenance Is here” door hanger on the door handle while you’re inside

·       Leave the resident  a clear description of what work was completed, and whether or not you’ll have to return to complete anything

There’s an expression I like that says to avoid the appearance of evil.  Maintenance professionals can avoid that appearance by taking these steps.  Any other ideas you have on this controversial topic? Please share them!