Remote vacant unit management… the latest superpower for Property Managers

Student housing properties are known to have some of the highest turnover rates. As quickly as new residents arrive, existing tenants are packing up and moving out.

From making sure keys are returned, to completing in-unit inspections, to organizing cleanings and assigning new tenants with access codes, passes, and parking spaces, it’s all very overwhelming for property managers. In amongst the chaos, certain things slip through the cracks and can be pushed down the priority ladder. This includes post-move out inspections to check that each unit has been left in a satisfactory condition… meaning that many units can sit unoccupied, exactly as the tenant left them, for extensive periods of time before actually being checked in-person by property staff.

Let’s face it, the last thing on a resident’s mind before they wave a final goodbye to their unit is “did I make sure to set the temperature to the most energy-efficient setting?”

Needless to say, this typically results in either one of two scenarios occurring: all that heavy-lifting and packing up of boxes during the move-out process meant that the thermostat was turned way down to create a nice, cool atmosphere and ensure maximum comfort. Or scenario number 2: the resident moving out mistakenly thinks that turning the thermostat completely OFF is doing their property manager a favor.

Either situation, especially when lasting for a prolonged period of time, becomes a recipe for a maintenance disaster.

A thermostat set to OFF is just asking for excessive humidity, especially if it’s peak summer time or you live in a place like Florida (or both). Excessive humidity levels that aren’t addressed create a breeding ground for mold conditions… mold being one of the most damaging and costly repairs to ever hit a maintenance budget.

On the other end of the spectrum, an AC unit left blowing cold air to an empty room for excessive amounts of time not only wastes energy and hikes up utility bills, it also puts a detrimental strain on expensive HVAC equipment and often leads to frozen pipes; an issue that usually results in needing to replace the entire unit.

One may think the most effective way to address these problems and prevent them from occurring in the first place would be to send a maintenance manager to each unit, one-by-one, to make sure all thermostats are set to ensure optimal energy-saving conditions. In reality, that just isn’t efficient use of staff time, and a reduction in man-hours is something most property managers are looking for.

Fortunately, times are changing and with our buildings becoming smarter as each year goes on, there are now solutions that enable busy property management teams to monitor and maintain the temperature in vacant units – all done remotely. Even better, in the event that abnormal conditions are actually present within a particular unit (vacant OR occupied), property staff are notified, without even having visited the unit in-person.

It sounds like a complete game-changer for property and maintenance staff, and it is. Make sure your building doesn’t miss out on this IoT-powered revolution, contact us today to learn more about TrustHab.

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