How schools can budget for reactive maintenance

Breakages & faults can be unwanted distractions when trying to run a school, as well as being costly for a schools repair budget.

Posted by Joe Lawson-West | August 07, 2017 | Facilities & buildings

• #repairs
• #breakages
• #faults
• #facilities
• #maintenance

Handling breakages and faults can be an unwanted distraction when trying to run a school, as well as being costly for a school’s repair budget.

 The problems surrounding this tend to revolve around the fact that reactive issues, are usually unplanned, meaning that it’s challenging to budget accurately and ensuring that the issues being resolved aren’t disruptive or effecting the running of a school.

It’s difficult to budget for something you can’t plan, however there are many things schools can do to minimise the reactive issues to minimise disruption if a problem may arise.

A top tip is to keep a record of any issue as soon as it arises - an effective logging system enables schools to view, report and plan ahead.

Keeping a log and looking at past records, schools will be able to put subtle but effective changes in place to improve certain facilities, such as a lighting or toilets. By recording each issue, schools will also have accurate records of how much the maintenance will cost them, helping them be more proactive rather than reactive.

Being more proactive, schools will minimise disruptions, unlock more time for the planned activities, gain more control over the costs around reactive work and ultimately be more able to maintain a safe, effective and efficient environment.

 Planning ahead is all well and good, however for those times when problems happen unexpectedly, it’s important for schools to contact professionals to solve the issue safely and efficiently. As education specialists, facilities management company MSL, have developed a range of maintenance services which can be tailored to any school’s specific needs.