Maintenance Management Flashcards
Talk me through your understanding of planned maintenance / reactive maintenance.
Planned maintenance is the repair and replacement of elements of a building on a scheduled basis, reactive is undertaking the repairs and maintenance at the time when they have been reported or once they become apparent
What is a maintenance / statutory inspection? How do they differ?
A maintenance inspection is undertaken to establish the condition of the property and see if repairs are needed. A statutory inspection is completed at a legally mandated interval to check condition and operation, such as inspecting a lift every 6 months
Talk me through compliance requirements you are aware of.
The gas system and appliances has to be checked a minimum of every 12 months
Why is it important to prioritise forward maintenance?
Because the work will usually be easier and less expensive if you are able to undertake it before it either breaks of worsens, plus you can budget for it, access arrangements are easier, resource scheduling is easier
What is forward maintenance?
a ‘forward maintenance plan’ (FMP) (or programme) is: ‘…a document setting out the specific maintenance activities (actions or tasks), resources and sequence of activities relevant for maintaining a building.
How can you integrate maintenance activity with the occupational requirements of a property?
By discussion with the resident, planning works appropraitely to ensure that they still have access to necessary facilities and taking any medical needs into account
How can maintenance impact upon the sustainability of a property?
By either improving things like energy performance when maintenance is done well, or when it is done badly by using inappropriate materials which may be cheaper but can be harmful and it can generate waste as well
Talk me through your understanding of life cycle and whole life costing.
Broadly, life cycle costs are those associated directly with constructing and operating the building; while whole life costs include other costs such as land, income from the building and support costs associated with the activity within the building.
Are you aware of any RICS guidance relating to life cycle costing?
RICS Guidance Note, Life Cycle Costing 2016
How can you benchmark maintenance costs?
By comparison with either a similar organisation or internally with another team
Talk me through maintenance procurement routes.
LCC uses a website to publish information on procurement opportunities, these are then put out to competitive tender. Other routes available are traditional (tender), design and build, management contracting
Talk me through common building defects you are aware of.
Bridged DPC’s, roof issues, gutters out of alignment, poor pointing
How would you diagnose a building defect?
Follow the trail of suspicion to find the route cause and also rule out other potential causations
How does age / construction affect maintenance requirements?
Weathering will affect the external face over time, increasing the need for maintenance upkeep. Time also opens up opportunities for poor quality and unsympathetic repairs which can hasten decline in elements. Elements will also have some obsalecance so they will degrade over time
Talk me through how you would carry out a maintenance inspection.
It would depend on the need, but for a full property I usually start externally, working top down, then move into the inside, starting in the loft, then working my way down, inspecting the condition of each element as I go
What issues or factors would you be looking for on a maintenance inspection?
It depends, there are lots but signs of damp/water ingress, poor repairs, materials failing or incorrectly used etc
Talk me through your understanding of S11 of the L&T Act 1985.
It places an obligation on landlords to undertake basic repairs to the structure and exterior of the dwelling house, the drainage, water supply, gas and electric, space heating and hot water and maintain them in good order
What obligations does S11 of the LL&T Act 1985 place on a landlord?
They must undertake maintenance tasks and keep the dwelling in an acceptable state of repair
How do you comply with the CDM Regulations 2015?
repairs to the structure and exterior of the property, heating and hot water systems, basins, sinks, baths and other sanitaryware. the safety of gas and electrical appliances. the fire safety of furniture and furnishings provided under the tenancy.
What is BIM?
Building Information Modelling, is a process supported by various tools, technologies and contracts involving the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of places
How does BIM affect building maintenance?
Because it can be used as a reliable basis for decisions based on life-cycle, it can also inform you where things are such as pipes to help find the source of defects and information on components to make ordering correct replacements easier
Why is it important to maintain buildings?
To ensure that they are fit for occupation and their purpose as components are likely to fail at some point, and to prevent futher damage and maintain the lifecycle of the building
How does this impact upon asset value?
Because the condition of a building will have a big impact on its desiribility for purchase, those in a poor condition are likely to have a lower value due to the costs needed to bring it back up into a good state of repair
What are the reasons for maintaining buildings?
Prevent building decay, maintain structural stability, prevent damage from weather, optimise performance, help inform plans for renovation, protect the health of occupants etc
How can planned and corrective maintenance be balanced?
Keeping effective data on performance lifecycle of components can indicate when then may be likely to fail, so replacement can be effectively planned and budgeted for. Corrective maintenance can extend the lifespan and timescales between planned maintenance
What strategic / technical / managerial issues relate to maintenance management?
There can be access issues, labour scheduling and availability issues, costings, availability of materials, record keeping
How do you establish who has liability to maintain a building?
It will be in the legal documents such as a tenancy agreement or leasehold contract
What legislation / RICS guidance affects maintenance management?
Planned Preventative Maintenance of Residential and Commercial Property Guidance Note 2022, legislation includes things like the HHSRS, Landlord and Tenancy Act 1985, Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act 2018, Gas Safety, Installation and Use
How can maintenance activity be funded?
Through rental income or through charging leaseholders for their contribution, based on the content of the contract
What Government policy might affect maintenance?
Landlord and Tenant Act, Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act, Gas Safety Regs etc
What is best value?
Best Value is aboutensuring that there is good governance and effective management of resources, with a focus on improvement, to deliver the best possible outcomes for the public.
How can maintenance be procured?
It will depend on the requirements, however it is often through competitive tendering, through SOR’s with approved contractors, use of internal service providers
Talk me through component deterioration and failure.
Components will have some form of obsolescence and will begin to fail over time, some conditions can hasten this decline, or external influences or damage can cause premature failure
Is there a model to explain component deterioration and failure - can you describe the 3 phases?
The Bathtub Curve, has 3 main stages, used to determine the likihood of a component failing, Infant Failure, Constant Failure, Wear out Failure
What phases might a maintenance strategy to deal with the bathtub curve follow?
You may set aside some budget for the early life of a component, but potentially less than expected due to warrenties etc, then have budget available for random failure with increasing amounts set aside as the component is expected to age in the Wear Out Failure Zone
How do you establish the condition standard when intervention is required?
Through a physical survey to assertain the current condition, if it is currently causing issues, will in the near future or could be deemed a hazard, to decide urgent works, then ascertain likely lifespan for other elements based on past experience
How can you assess condition standard?
The best way to establish condition is through a physical survey. Setting the standards for the acceptable condition can be through legislation requirements, user requirements etc
What is asset hierarchy?
An asset hierarchy isa logical index of all your maintenance equipment, machines, and components, and how they work together. Building and understanding your facility’s asset hierarchy is critical to efficiently tracking, scheduling, and identifying the root causes of failure in your equipment.
How does building type influence maintenance management?
Certain types of building will have a higher usage, so will need more regular maintenance, others will have different components which may have differing lifespans
What building components need to be maintained?
All really, they all preform a function and need to be maintained if the building as a whole is to be kept in a usable condition
Tell me about a maintenance activity you have experience of.
I am aware passenger lifts in buildings must be serviced and maintained a minimum of once every 6 months
When might maintenance become an improvement or betterment?
It adds to the value of then property or improves the performance in some way, so it could be by replacing the roof cover but adding some additional insulation at the same time will improve the energy performance. Betterment is if the repair works are carried out to a higher standard than was necessary, the betterment will be deducted from any damages claimed. IE replacing a carpet at the end of a tenancy when it could have been cleaned
