Maintenance strategies and quality of property management services in Norwegian municipalities

Due to a challenging economy in the Norwegian Municipality sector, many municipalities lack goals and maintenance strategies in order to handle an increasing maintenance backlog of their properties. The purpose was to look at the technical condition, maintenance backlog and the quality of the property management services of a selection of Norwegian municipalities maintenance strategies at a tactical level. The status of the technical condition, maintenance backlog of the public building stock and the quality of the property management services was examined by a survey among 31 property managers (PM’s) in Norwegian municipalities, conducted in 2007. The survey was replicated in 2018 and followed up by interviews of the property management leaders during February-April 2019. Findings from the surveys from 2007 and 2018 are presented in this paper. In 2007 we found that the municipalities that are doing condition surveys regularly, had a goal to upkeep the condition of the buildings at an acceptable level as well as thinking in long terms and having strategies to invest and develop their properties were able to catch up the maintenance backlog. The survey from 2018 show some improvement of the level of maintenance backlog and condition. The average condition grade was improved from 1,43 to 1,39 in 2018. Also, 67 % of the municipalities stated that the quality of the property management services was good or very good, while 25 % stated the same back in 2007. The property management services in the municipalities has improved since 2008. 2/3 of the municipalities have established a long-term plan with a goal and strategies of how to catch up the maintenance backlog. These findings are in line with the findings from other reports (NKF, 2019; Arbeidstilsynet, 2013). The surveys indicate that the success for good property management is a systematically approach to preventive maintenance and a long-term plan to catch up the maintenance back log, organizing the competences in multi-disciplinary teams. None of the municipalities indicate that ICT tools is the part of the solution but rather a tool to aid a systemically approach to collect information about the building stock. We recommend further in-depth studies in order to explore the maturity level of implementing new technology and need for new competences at an organizational level.