Building Maintenance Requests and Resident Rule Violations

To keep building maintenance requests from getting lost and resident rule violations from turning into fights, both must be recorded in writing, given an owner and a status, and followed up until closed. For violations, the path starts with a friendly word and reaches a written warning only with evidence, and in the same way for everyone.

“I told the caretaker three times that the garage light is out.” “The upstairs neighbor is noisy every night until late.” “Someone has parked in my space again.” These lines are familiar in every complex. The problem is usually not the fault or the violation itself; it is that there is no record of it, nobody knows who is responsible for following up, and the person who raised it has no idea what happened next. This guide suggests a simple workflow for handling repair requests and a fair, documented way of dealing with rule violations.

Why Verbal Maintenance Requests Get Lost

A request mentioned to the manager in the stairwell or posted in the group chat has three weaknesses: it has no clear date, it is not assigned to one responsible person, and its completion is never recorded. The result is that a small fault, like a drip from a shared pipe, lingers for months and becomes bigger and more expensive; or the opposite happens, and two people separately call a repairer for the same job. Recording requests in writing speeds up the response and builds a history that later helps you plan major repairs and the building reserve fund.

A Six-Step Workflow for Building Maintenance Requests

1. Log: a resident or the caretaker records the request with a short description, the exact location and, where possible, a photo.
2. Categorize and prioritize: the manager decides whether it concerns common areas or the inside of a unit, and whether it is urgent or routine.
3. Assign: the job goes to the caretaker, the contracted repairer or an outside contractor.
4. Update the status: the requester should know what stage the job is at: seen, assigned, in progress, done.
5. Record the cost: the repair cost is booked as a building expense, with an invoice.
6. Close the request: once the requester confirms or the manager inspects, the request is closed.

Prioritizing requests

Regular inspections: before anyone files a request

Some faults can be found before they ever become a request. Give the caretaker or guard a periodic inspection list: stairwell and garage lighting, valves and fittings in the boiler room, entrance and garage doors, fire extinguishers, the roof and drains, and the visible condition of the elevator. Anything found on an inspection should be logged like a routine request so it follows the same six-step workflow. A monthly review of closed requests also shows which equipment keeps failing, and whether, instead of repairing it again and again, its replacement should go on the agenda of the owners’ meeting. That simple report is the best evidence for justifying larger costs to owners.

Common-Area or In-Unit Repairs: Who Pays?

The general rule is that repairs to shared parts, such as the elevator, boiler room, facade and main plumbing, are paid from the charges or the building fund, while repairs inside a unit are the owner’s responsibility. Borderline cases, such as a leak from a pipe inside one unit that damages the unit below, cause the most disputes. It is best for the owners’ meeting to approve a clear rule for such cases, in line with local law and your bylaws, and to get an expert opinion on complex ones. If you want to know exactly where common-area upkeep sits among a manager’s duties under Iranian law, read board duties under the Apartment Ownership Law.

Recording Resident Rule Violations: What Counts?

A violation is only something that the building’s bylaws or a meeting resolution clearly defines. The taste of the manager or of one neighbor is not a basis for a violation. Common examples that many buildings include in their rules:

• Parking in someone else’s space or in a driveway
• Disturbing noise during the quiet hours the rules set
• Leaving rubbish or belongings in the stairwell and common areas
• Using the hall, pool or gym outside the rules
• Altering the facade or shared parts without permission
• Damaging shared facilities

If your building has no written rules, put drafting them on the agenda of the next meeting before dealing with any violation.

From a Verbal Reminder to a Written Warning

Handling violations, like chasing unpaid charges, goes step by step:

1. A friendly word: many violations are unintentional; a short, respectful conversation is usually enough.
2. Record the violation: if it happens again, record it with the date, a description and evidence (a photo or the guard’s report, for example).
3. Written warning: if it continues, send a formal written warning to the resident and, if needed, the unit owner.
4. Refer to the board or meeting: for serious or repeated violations, the board decides on the next step, and in particular cases it may go to the authorities; legal advice is recommended at this stage.

What makes a good written warning?

• Warning number and date
• Unit details and the name of the resident or owner
• An exact description of the violation, when it happened and which clause of the rules it breaks
• The history of earlier reminders
• A specific request (what should be done, or not repeated)
• The action that will follow if it happens again
• Signature of the manager or a board representative

Hypothetical sample of the main paragraph: “According to the reports recorded on the dates listed, a vehicle belonging to this unit has been parked in another unit’s space. Under the parking clause of the house rules approved by the owners’ meeting, we kindly ask that this not be repeated.”

Fairness and Documentation: Two Pillars of Trust

Recording violations is a tool for order, not for settling personal scores. If residents feel the rules apply only to some, the same tool becomes a source of conflict. Follow these principles:

• Consistency: rules apply equally to everyone, including board members and their families.
• Evidence: no violation is recorded without a date, description and evidence; “everyone knows” is not evidence.
• Right of reply: the resident can give their side, and it stays in the file.
• Proportionality: one wrong parking is not the same as deliberate damage to shared facilities.
• Privacy: the list of violators is not published in the group chat or on a public noticeboard.
• Closing the file: when the matter is resolved, record that too.

The same principles apply to financial follow-up, covered in detail in our guide to collecting unpaid building charges.

Software for Maintenance Requests and Resident Violations

In Hamkhoneh, P-Soft’s building management software for residential buildings in Iran (its interface is in Persian), maintenance requests and their follow-up are included in every plan; residents file requests through the resident web portal and the manager tracks their status. Income and expenses are recorded by category, so the cost of each repair shows up in the building’s accounts. Separate roles are defined for the manager, accountant, board members, guard, owner and tenant, so each person sees only the part they should.

From the Pro plan, the “requests, violations and correspondence” section becomes more complete: recording violations and issuing a printed formal warning, plus an internal correspondence register for archiving minutes and letters. The Elite plan adds expiry alerts for the building’s insurance policies and contracts, so renewing the elevator service contract, for example, is not forgotten. If you manage several buildings as a company, see our page on property management company software.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to log building maintenance requests?

Record them in writing with a description, location and photo, set a priority and an owner, and keep the requester informed until the job is closed. Building management software keeps this workflow organized.

Who pays for repairs inside a unit?

Usually the owner of that unit. Repairs to shared parts are paid from the charges or the building fund; borderline cases are decided by the meeting or an expert, in line with local law and your bylaws.

Can a building manager give a resident a written warning?

Yes, for violations defined in the building’s rules or a meeting resolution. The warning must be documented, specific and applied equally to everyone.

What evidence is needed to record a violation?

Date and time, an exact description, the relevant clause of the rules and, where possible, a photo or the guard’s report. The resident’s explanation should also be recorded in the file.

Which Hamkhoneh plan includes violation records?

Violation records and printed formal warnings are in the Pro and Elite plans; maintenance requests and their follow-up are in all three plans.

If you want your building’s repair requests and violations followed up in an orderly, documented way, explore Hamkhoneh building management software and request a demo.

Further reading

• What Is Building Management Software and What Can It Do?
• How to Choose the Best Building Management Software: A Buyer’s Guide (2026)
• Best Way to Manage Building Service Charges for Residential Complexes

Complete guide: building management software