As well as an annual maintenance and cleaning budget covering things like servicing the heating system and lifts, replacing broken windows and fixing dripping taps, you need to set up a multi-year maintenance schedule and budget. This is often referred to as ‘cyclical maintenance’ as it covers tasks that need doing every few years – such as decorating, renewal of flooring and external painting.

Cleansing, caretaking and reception

You need to think about how the operational management of the building will work. How will it be used? Will you need to provide a reception service for visitors and users of the building? An intercom? How often will it need cleaning? Kitchen areas and toilets in particular need regular attention. Who will be on hand to deal with minor day-to-day repairs?

Security

You may need to consider paying for security services. An alarm is no use if no one is able to react to it. The fire service and the police will need contact details in case of out of hours emergencies.