True or false: Surveying residents is a common method community association managers use to evaluate their maintenance systems and implementation efforts.

• A. Not sure
• B. Sometimes
• C. True
• D. False

Answer: (C)

Surveying residents is a practical way to assess how well the association’s maintenance programs are working because it captures the experiences and satisfaction of those who live with the services daily. Residents can report on how quickly issues are addressed, the quality of repairs, the reliability of common area upkeep, and how clearly communications about work and timelines are conveyed. This feedback helps managers see whether the maintenance system is meeting residents’ needs and whether implementation efforts—like new preventive maintenance schedules, updated vendor practices, or improved inspections—are producing the intended results.

Surveys are common because they are relatively low-cost, scalable, and flexible. They can be administered online, by mail, or in person, and responses can be tracked over time to spot trends and measure improvement. To be effective, it’s best to design them with clear questions, use standardized rating scales for consistency, and keep some open-ended questions for specifics. They’re even more powerful when paired with objective maintenance metrics such as work-order response and completion times, backlog, and repeat issues.

So this statement is true: surveying residents is a standard method for evaluating maintenance systems and implementation efforts.