Recent research by Building Engines revealed that 75% of real estate professionals feel confident that building occupants consistently receive important information from them, but only 25% of occupants agree. Introducing a resident portal can help to bridge this gap, allowing residents to engage more widely with their local community, book amenities, and even interact with other residents outside of social events, thanks to the likes of online clubs and forums. However, resident portals can also play a much more important and crucial role – ensuring your residents are kept up to date with the latest safety information.
As a landlord or property manager, it is part of your responsibilities to follow fire safety requirements for the safety of your tenants and property. You are also required to show evidence that you have done everything within your power (that can reasonably be expected) to protect your property and tenants. This includes things like fitting the correct alarms and making sure the furniture you provide is safe, but also informing residents of what to do in an emergency, including providing evacuation plans.
More often or not, this information will have been shared as part of a new resident welcome pack during moving in day, alongside a stack of other paperwork needing to be read, signed and filed. How do you ensure residents have read and fully understood everything, or have filed it somewhere that can be easily accessible if required? And what happens when you want to issue a newer version – do you print and mail out updated copies, or do you send out an email with the latest version attached, hoping it manages to somehow dodge the dreaded junk folder?
Using a resident mobile app, such as Spike Living, this key information can be stored centrally and shared easily with every resident at a push of a button, notifying them that there is an updated version to be read and reviewed. You can also empower your residents to report any potential issues they spot by allowing them to log issues through the built-in ticketing system, ensuring all enquiries are tracked, and dealt with swiftly, keeping the resident updated.
Recently, one of Spike’s customers had a major incident within one of its buildings, and along with other traditional methods of notifying residents, they were also able to send out an urgent push notification informing residents within minutes about an immediate danger, so they could take the necessary action and evacuate the building. They were then able to provide regular updates about the incident afterwards and respond to any queries and concerns that had been raised.
Technology has made communication between property managers and residents much easier, breaking down traditional barriers that had previously existed, allowing residents to become more engaged and informed when it comes to fire safety.
Learn why Spike is trusted by leading property managers by downloading our brochure below.
