Why is documentation so important? How can it help you in the event of a fair housing complaint? What are some best practices that your company should be following now? This article provides a brief overview of the value of documentation as well as some tips to ensure you and your staff are protected.
Perhaps a question is raised regarding the availability of a unit. A prospect wants to view the two-bedroom unit that a friend said was available only hours before. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.
Another scenario that we frequently see is when there has been a change in staff or management. Consider this situation; a resident comes in wanting to know what has been done regarding a complaint they lodged weeks ago with the prior manager. You look in the resident’s file and find nothing. Maybe something had been done, but now you have no documentation or proof to address the situation.
Proper documentation will give your staff the information they need to provide a thorough explanation and state the facts. Without this, you are open to a possible fair housing complaint.
These brief examples highlight how important documentation is. Every employee needs to be documenting every interaction they have with both existing and prospective residents. Along with this, there needs to be a regular audit completed to ensure that policies and procedures are being followed.
Here are some basic guidelines that aid in proper and consistent documentation:
In summary, documentation isn’t just important, it is essential. Not only does it provide your staff with the tools they need to better perform their jobs, but it is also irreplaceable along with training if confronted with a fair housing complaint.