Property owners in the UAE must consider having a preventative maintenance strategy including periodic health checks on flats and villas in place in order to extend the life and value of their home or investment, said an industry expert.

“Both homeowners and landlords should ideally take preventative measures to ensure that their property appreciates in value, rather than adopting a reactive stance only while maintenance problems occur,' said Michael Michael, director of sales, Landmark Property Management (LPM).

A division of Landmark Properties, LPM made the suggestion based on direct feedback from tenants and input from its valuations department on the longevity of properly maintained villas and flats in the UAE.

According to Michael, the periodic health checks on flats and villas alike will maintain and even grow longer-term value of this investment.

'The input from our leasing division demonstrates that in this competitive market, tenants are looking for well-maintained properties that have a professional company as a first point of contact for all maintenance issues. We’ve found that a proactive preventative maintenance strategy provides greater peace of mind for both the owner and potential renters,” he added.

Planned maintenance of the air-conditioning elements, electrical fittings and plumbing units within flats and villas have shown themselves to be the issues of highest concern for tenants as well as return on investment under property maintenance contracts for owners, according to LPM.

A proactive approach minimizes the risk of major breakdowns or outages, and owners should shop around for property management packages that can be tailored to their specific needs, to include external glass cleaning, landscaping, swimming pool services, and care of carpentry and masonry features, the company stated.

'Another trend we’re seeing in the UAE market is demand for hassle-free tenant management services. This includes screening potential renters and managing all aspects of property viewings, rental payment collection, 24-hour help desks for tenants, and logistics around utilities connections,' Michael pointed out.

'An increasing number of property owners are outsourcing these functions so that they simply receive rental income and reassurance that their property is being properly looked after,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service