Maintenance and Utilities

Maintenance and Utilities overview

Maintenance is not a new concept for our partners. As homeowners, you already maintain your main house and property regularly. The same applies to your flats: you are expected to keep an eye on them and report any defects or repairs as soon as you notice them.

There are four key facets of good property maintenance:

1. Communication
2. Proactivity
3. Observation
4. Follow-ups

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Each of these reflects your level of investment in your property and your flats. Bitprop will assist you in developing each facet:

• Communication: Reporting maintenance, managing tenant expectations, and clarifying who pays for what.
• Proactivity: Troubleshooting small issues, understanding warranties, and preventing bigger problems.
• Observation: Monitoring utilities, being aware of insurance, and noticing early signs of wear or damage.
• Follow-ups: Conducting inspections and giving feedback to Bitprop.

We strongly encourage you to be hands-on and involved from the very beginning. After the 10-year partnership, the responsibility for managing maintenance will rest fully with you.

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Case Study

One of our homeowners in Khayelitsha has been partnered with Bitprop for more than four years. Over time, he started thinking ahead to what life would look like after the 10-year partnership. His main concern was: “How will I manage all the maintenance on my own once Bitprop steps back?”

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At present, Bitprop does not have any plans to continue maintenance support after the partnership ends. However, because many homeowners have raised the same concern, we are actively considering options for ongoing support in the future.

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Instead of waiting, this homeowner decided to prepare himself early. He began paying close attention to the types of maintenance issues that came up most often in his flats. At the same time, whenever his main house needed work, he would try out different plumbers and electricians. If the quality of their work was good, he kept their details. Slowly, he built a small network of trusted service providers that he could call on in the future.

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By being proactive, this homeowner gained confidence. He now feels ready to take on full responsibility when the partnership comes to an end - because he has already started practicing how to manage maintenance independently.

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Communication:  Reporting, managing expectations and costing

Maintenance requires regular communication - with your tenants and with Bitprop. Clear reporting, managing expectations, and understanding who pays for what ensures that your flats remain safe, functional, and desirable for tenants.

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What Counts as Maintenance?

Maintenance refers to the repairs needed to keep a flat in good condition. This includes:

• Repairs: fixing damages such as leaky taps, broken windows, faulty electrical outlets, or appliance repairs.
• Emergencies: urgent issues that affect safety or livability, such as burst pipes, electrical problems, or major leaks.

By staying on top of maintenance, flats remain comfortable and attractive, which leads to satisfied tenants and a long-lasting flats.

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Repairs vs. Emergency Repairs

It’s important to distinguish between repairs and emergency repairs.

• Repairs (non-urgent): routine maintenance tasks like painting, replacing lights or door handles, or fixing a dripping tap. These can usually be scheduled at a convenient time.
• Emergency repairs (urgent): issues that pose a safety risk (e.g. water leaks, electrical faults, structural damage) or cause severe damage if ignored (e.g. burst pipes, flooding, broken windows in storms). These require immediate attention.

At Bitprop, we always resolve emergency issues first before moving on to standard repair tickets.

The Bitprop Maintenance Process

To manage repairs effectively, Bitprop has introduced a WhatsApp line for all maintenance issues:
📱 +27 60 042 6777

Please note: maintenance issues will only be dealt with if reported via this line. Do not message the Maintenance Manager or your Homeowner Relationship Manager directly.

Steps to follow:

1. Identify the issue. First, use the troubleshooting guide below to see if it’s something you or the tenant can fix.
2. Submit a maintenance request. If the problem cannot be solved, send a message to the WhatsApp line including:
   • Your name and surname
   • Your address
   • The unit requiring maintenance
   • A detailed explanation of the problem
   • Specify when the maintenance team has permission to enter the flat
   • Days when you might be available (this is not a set date to expect maintenance)
   • Photos showing the issue clearly

1. Assessment. Bitprop will review the request and, if necessary, send someone to inspect the problem in person.
2. Responsibility. If the issue is caused by the tenant, Bitprop will invoice them before repairs are carried out.
3. Repairs. Bitprop will arrange a time with you and share your contact details with the repair team so they can liaise directly with you.
4. Completion. Once repairs are finished, please confirm with Bitprop that you are satisfied with a feedback form. Bitprop will close the ticket and pay the service provider.

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Who Pays for Maintenance?

• Bitprop’s responsibility: Bitprop ensures all necessary maintenance is completed.
• Tenant’s responsibility: If an issue is caused by tenant negligence, the cost is theirs.

💡 Tip: Always encourage tenants to handle small tasks themselves (attempt to unblock the drain with drain cleaner). If Bitprop has to send a repair worker for a minor issue, tenants will be charged not only for the drain cleaner, but also for labour and transport.

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Why Communication Matters

Your role, as a homeowner, in communicating clearly and promptly is crucial. This includes:

• With tenants: Setting expectations about what they are responsible for and encouraging them to report issues early. It is important to regularly check in with your tenants to know if there are any outstanding maintanence that needs to addressed.
• With Bitprop: Reporting problems through the correct process, providing details and updates, and assisting with access for repair teams. If there any outstanding tickets - please escalate the tickets using this communication channel chain and the timeline:

By keeping communication open and consistent, you help ensure that your property is well maintained, your tenants are happy, and maintenanceise resolved efficiently.

Proactivity: Troubleshooting & Warranties

When something goes wrong in your flats, the fastest way to solve the problem is often through basic troubleshooting before contacting Bitprop. This helps identify whether the issue is simple (and can be solved by the tenant) or if it needs our intervention. It also clarifies who is responsible — the tenant, you as the homeowner, or Bitprop.

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Troubleshooting Strategies

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Electricity

• During loadshedding:
  • Check the loadshedding schedule online or via the Eskom app.
  • If the whole neighbourhood is off, wait for Eskom or the City of Cape Town to restore power.
• If only one flat is off:
  • Check the flat’s DB board (inside the unit). Make sure all switches are ON. Flip them off and back on to reset.
  • Check the tenant’s electricity meter for available units. If no units are left, the tenant must recharge.
  • If units are available and the DB board looks fine, check the main DB board in the storeroom for that flat. Flip it off and on to reset.
  • If the issue continues, log a maintenance request.

• If a plug isn’t working:
  • Test the appliance in a different socket.
  • Test a different appliance in the same socket.
  • If only one plug is faulty, log a request.

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Water & Meters

• Electricity meters: Found inside each flat. Tenants must monitor and recharge when needed.
• Water meters: Controlled via a keypad in the flat. If the screen is blank, place it near sunlight (solar-powered) to recharge.
• Hot water:
  • Flats built before 2023 use speed heaters (not geysers).
  • Flats built from 2023 onwards have 30L geysers.
  • In both cases, check if there is enough electricity loaded before logging a ticket.
• Water supply issues:
  • Low pressure / no water: Check if neighbours are also affected. If yes, it’s a municipal outage. If it’s just your flat, log a request.
  • Leaks: Report immediately.
  • Slow drainage / blocked drains: Tenants should try a plunger first. If that fails, log a request.

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Building & Flat Issues

• Windows & doors: Report if they do not close or seal properly.
• Bugs or pests: Tenants are responsible for controlling pests inside their flats (sprays, traps, foggers).
• DSTV: Bitprop does not provide DSTV. We have installed the DTSV dish but tenants may set up their own accounts. Bitprop has built in the conduits that hold the cables into each flats so there is no need to drill into the wall.
• Wi-Fi: Bitprop does not provide Wi-Fi. Tenants may install their own service; coverage depends on the area. Bitprop has built in the conduits that hold the cables into each flats so there is no need to drill into the wall.
• Roof leaks / gutters: Report immediately if water enters through the roof or gutters.
• Mould: Tenants should clean their own flat with bleach or mould cleaner.

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When to Contact Bitprop

If you’ve tried the steps above and the problem continues, or if it’s a larger building issue, contact Bitprop. Examples include:

• Roof leaks, window frames, or wall cracks.
• Water supply problems not related to the municipality.
• Electrical issues beyond a single socket or tenant meter.

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Warranty Policy

The flats in your backyard comes with a six-month contractor’s warranty after construction is completed. This warranty covers issues directly related to construction, structure, or finishing — for example:

• Cracks in walls or plastering
• Leaks caused by poor sealing
• Defective fittings or finishes

It does not cover damage caused by homeowners or tenants.

Your responsibility:

• Inspect your property regularly in the first six months.
• Report any problems to Bitprop as soon as you notice them.
• Bitprop will arrange access for the contractor to fix the issue.

Acting quickly ensures that issues are fixed at no cost to your tenants.

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Observation: Utilities, Insurance, and Meters

Part of looking after your property is doing regular work that prevents bigger problems later. Some of these tasks are about protecting your investment, and some are just part of being a homeowner. Three key areas to focus on are your utilities, the insurance on your flats, and the electricity and water meters in each flat.

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Utilities

Utilities are the essential services that make your property livable:

• Electricity – for lights, appliances, and devices.
• Water – for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing.
• Sewage – removal of wastewater.
• Trash Collection – removal of household waste.

Because the flats are connected to your main house, all of these services run through your property. This means you must pay your utility bills on time to ensure your tenants always have reliable access.

Maintenance and Insurance

Every month, part of the rent Bitprop collects goes towards general maintenance and insurance for your flats.

• Maintenance keeps the structure and quality of your flats in good condition over the 10-year partnership. These are usually issues outside of your or your tenants’ control, like structural defects.
• Your role is to help us coordinate. You’ll need to:
  • Arrange a suitable time with your tenants for maintenance visits.
  • Give our maintenance workers access to the property.
  • Communicate with the Bitprop Maintenance Manager.
  • Follow up afterwards to confirm the work has been completed.
• Insurance is also paid for by Bitprop during the partnership. This covers damage from fire, storms, or other external events. It does not cover smaller issues like broken cupboards, handles, or normal wear and tear. At the end of the 10 years, you as the homeowner will take over responsibility for both maintenance and insurance.

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Electricity and Water Meters

Each flat has its own Prepaid electricity and water meter. Tenants buy their own vouchers for both services and load them directly onto their meters using the card provided.

Here’s how the system works:

• Tenants buy credit for electricity and water.
• At the end of the month, Citiq reimburses you with the exact amount your tenants spent.
• For example: If your tenants buy R1,500 of electricity in May, Citiq will pay you R1,500 on 1 June.
• You must then:
  • Load that amount back into your main house electricity meter so the flats remain supplied.
  • Pay the water portion directly to the municipality, along with your own water bill.

⚠️ Important: Because the flats’ utilities flow through your main house, you must keep your prepaid electricity meter charged at all times. If your main house meter runs out, the flats will lose electricity, even if tenants have loaded units onto their own meters.

If there are any issues with a meter, contact the Bitprop Maintenance WhatsApp line: +27 60 042 6777

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Follow-ups: Inspections and Feedback

To protect your property and ensure fairness with tenant deposits, each flat must be inspected when a tenant moves in and again when they move out.

• Incoming inspections are managed by you (the homeowner) together with the tenant.
• Outgoing inspections are managed by Bitprop.

This process ensures the condition of the flat is properly recorded and that only tenant-caused damages are deducted from their deposit.

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Incoming Inspections (Move-In)

• When: On the day the tenant moves in (or the day before).
• Who: You and the tenant. Your Homeowner Relationship Manager will guide you through the first few inspections.
• How:
  • Use the standard digital inspection form.
  • Take photos of any items needing fixing.
  • Complete and sign the checklist together. All parties receive a digital copy.
  • Log any issues as a maintenance request via the Bitprop Maintenance WhatsApp line: +27 60 042 6777.

⚠️ Keys should only be given to the tenant once:

1. The first rent payment has been made.
2. The lease agreement is signed.
3. The incoming inspection is complete.

👉 The best time to hand over keys is right at the end of the inspection.

Special case: If an outgoing inspection wasn’t done in time before a new tenant moves in, the incoming tenant must acknowledge any issues and agree to allow maintenance access during their first week of occupation.

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Outgoing Inspections (Move-Out)

• When: Conducted 1 week before the tenant moves out.
• Who: The tenant, you (homeowner), and Bitprop.
• How:
  • Follow the same digital inspection checklist as the move-in inspection.
  • Take photos of any issues.
  • Log maintenance requests via the Bitprop Maintenance WhatsApp line: +27 60 042 6777.
  • All parties sign off, and a digital copy is provided.

If the tenant refuses or is unable to do the inspection, they must sign a consent form waiving their right to dispute deductions from their deposit.

⚠️ Keys must always be collected when the tenant leaves.

✨ By consistently completing inspections, you protect yourself, your tenants, and your flats. It creates a clear record of the flat’s condition and makes sure everyone knows where they stand.