Questions to Ask Before Moving Into Your Serviced Home

Ocean Parade, Lagos

Developers and facility managers play an increasingly important role in the industry to meet the demand for good quality serviced homes. The amount of money diverted to annual service charge when taking up a property is dependent on the size of the entire residence; populated serviced communities pay less overall and vice versa. It is also determined by the extent of cover provided by the basic service charge fee and that is a function of a few things; a. the agreement between the service providers/vendors and the homeowner, b. the location of the property in question, c. the general consensus of other occupants and other factors which may be unique to the residence.

Here are a few points compiled by our experts at RE/MAX Nigeria that every potential serviced home buyer or tenant should consider before committing:

Electricity: We find that tenants do not mind paying the pricey premiums on service charge in exchange for a reliable and standardised electricity system, the following questions cover all you need to know with respect to the provision and operation of electricity in your new home 

• Is the cost for diesel included in the service charge, if not, how much is it?
• Is there an alternative (standby) generator?
• How many hours of electricity will be provided to tenants besides the power supply from PHCN?
• Is there a dedicated transformer for the property?
• Does each unit have a separate meter?
• Are inverters provided?

As mentioned earlier, you will want to know and fully grasp the responses you get to these questions and be sure to include them in your final appraisal.

Sporting facilities: For communities with pools, gyms, and squash courts etc. the use of, regular upkeep, cleaning and servicing of general sporting facilities may attract a premium onto the service charge and you will need to ask what facilities are available to you & if you need to pay a premium.

Access Control & Parking Space: Serviced communities are commonly characterised by very tight security, in instances whereby a gate pass is required for entry, is there a quota for the number of gate passes allocated to each residence? The same applies to parking. If so, will additional vehicle parking space and gate passes attract a premium? 

General Areas & Electrical Fittings: The aesthetics of an environment go a long way in keeping the value of your home intact. Does the service charge cover general maintenance of the surroundings i.e. gardening, clearing & tidying paved walkways and driveways, the necessary change of bulbs for street lighting and in apartment buildings with elevators, the servicing and maintenance of this facility? 

Telecommunications & Internet Services: Presently unpopular, some homes may come with Wi-Fi connection, intercoms and so on and much like sporting facilities, they may be available at the request of the tenant and attract a premium onto the basic service charge. In addition, the infrastructure for fibre optic internet connection is available in some residential areas in Lagos and may be available at your serviced home, make enquiries about its availability and the costs involved. 

Waste Disposal: The bill for the bi-weekly or monthly collection of the refuse parked outside your home is usually included in the service charge, clarify the value for this service and the frequency of collection.

Window cleaning: While it’s still on the rise, some residences make provision for window cleaning services and this is added onto the service charge.

A professional agent will work to ensure you know exactly what is covered in your service charge and see to it that what was promised is delivered. We have a wide array of well finished serviced apartments and houses for lease and sale. Get in touch with a RE/MAX Agent today Call Ladi Agbaje: 07007026042139, Lesi Kpagih: 07026020181 or Chigozie Nwauba: 07026079797 or click here: http://remax.ng/officeagentsearch.aspx

Have you got some more tips for the aspiring owner or tenant of a serviced home? Start a conversation with us, comment below!