Quite like every traditional organizational structure, there are numerous managers outside the business world that are responsible for handling a diverse list of tasks. Their title may be used interchangeably, but their expertise and scope of duties are very different. For instance, you aren’t going to communicate with your sales manager to deal with your finances and vice versa. The same can be said for the dilemma: property manager vs facility manager.
Despite the similarities in their title, there is a huge difference between the two. By finding out who is in charge of what duties, you can delegate tasks accordingly to ensure that your goals are in-sync with your operations.
In this article:
What Is a Property Manager Responsible For?
The duties of property managers are limited to the building itself and the common duties that may be related to it. This includes being answerable to the landlord or the building’s owner, overseeing their reinvestments in the building, coordinating maintenance, and, of course, collecting rent.
With that said, it is important to mention here that property managers can also be described as a liaison. You see, they not only manage the building but also make sure that the tenants in the building and the landlord/building owner are on the same page.
For instance, if the landlord plans on remodeling the building, it is the property manager’s responsibility to oversee their reinvestment while coordinating the renovation team and building tenants.
The best property managers in the industry strive to keep the peace between building owners and stakeholders while making sure the needs of all parties are being met. And that’s why hiring a property manager can make your life easier.
What Is a Facilities Manager Responsible For?
Facility managers, on the other hand, prioritize the needs of people and processes as opposed to rental management and property investment goals. You see, these managers are more concerned with coordinating operations and maximizing space to make the most efficient use of the rental property.
Common duties of facility managers will include overseeing events, coordinating movers, arranging furniture or other building materials, etc. Also, the only similarity between property managers and facility managers is that they are both answerable to the landlord or the building owner.
The main difference between the two, however, is that facility managers oversee the needs of tenants while handling all the correspondence with property managers or the building owner themselves.
For instance, if the building owner plans on hiring more staff without expanding a building’s square footage, facility managers will start strategizing how to maximize the worker’s office space.
Who Is Responsible? Common Scenarios
To better illustrate the difference between property managers vs facility managers, here are a few examples from our daily lives and subsequently, who you’d contact in each case.
1. For Water Damage in the Apartment
Since this is a problem for the building, it is the responsibility of the property manager to make sure the water damage is fixed. As soon as they are notified, they will start asking for bids from contractors and will handle the problem in a timely manner.
2. Your Business Needs to Shift Floors
Since this scenario deals with a lot of people and their belongings, it is the responsibility of the facility manager to oversee every move and make sure everyone progresses with synergy.
3. Not Enough Parking Space
Again, this is an issue you should take up with your property manager since they are responsible for figuring out where additional cars should be parked. This could either mean the implementation of an entirely separate parking system or enlarging the existing parking spaces. Some property managers think that a parking space is one of the most important things for investment properties.
Final Words
There are very few instances where both of these building management processes overlap, but whenever this happens, either function is very clear about its role. For instance, if a light has broken down, then you could ask the facilities manager to coordinate with a maintenance team. However, if the light keeps breaking down due to short circuits, it is time to contact your property manager.
In a nutshell, property managers ensure that the building is functional, accommodating, and safe, whereas facilities managers are responsible for handling issues that affect operations or tenants/workers.
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