Maintenance employees are very visible and much of the time they need to mix with residents. When they treat residents reasonably and professionally, it goes a long way toward preventing fair housing complaints. Housing providers are responsible for all the actions of employees, so it is vital to educate maintenance staff on fair housing policies.
A common complaint that fair housing enforcement agencies receive is that members of one community get their maintenance requests handled more efficiently than do members of another community. To avoid this type of assertions, consider establishing a clear maintenance response policy and document requests for repairs. Keep detailed documentation of work requests and maintenance work done, during the span of a year or more. In the event of a delay, it is advisable to keep residents with their repair request.
Here are 3 points for you to keep in mind:
Maintenance Response Policy:
Avoid any appearance of “playing favorites” by responding to service requests in a defined and orderly fashion. A common complaint that fair housing enforcement agencies receive is that members of one protected class get their maintenance requests handled more quickly than do members of another protected class. To avoid this type of allegation, consider establishing a clear maintenance response policy and document requests for repairs. Keep thorough documentation of work requests and maintenance actions taken, for one year or longer.
Training:
Every member of your maintenance team who works with customers must be fully informed about Fair Housing laws, protected classes, and your company’s expectations of their performance. This topic is not limited to leasing or management personnel! After all, once a resident moves in, it is often the maintenance associates who have the most contact with them during their residency. Protect your employees, your community and your company by requiring annual Fair Housing training for all of your associates.
Asking unwanted questions:
Maintenance personnel should avoid asking unwanted questions, like: “How many kids do you have?” or “Are you pregnant?” Although these questions may seem courteous, they could be considered discriminatory and are better avoided.
For more on Fair Housing for maintenance staff, join expert speaker Paul Flogstad, in a Live Webinar on Wed, May 24, 2016, titled “Fair Housing for Maintenance Staff”. During this session, Paul will cover all aspects of fair housing for maintenance personnel. The goal of this session is to keep your maintenance staff in compliance with HUD laws on fair housing.
