How to manage unreasonable resident complaints

Being a manager, director or trustee of a community scheme can be a tough job, especially when faced with unreasonable requests or complaints.  How should these be approached? 
 
Omar Kinnear, developer of Resident Portal, , the fast-growing community scheme management and communication portal, notes: “In these cases, it is likely that the estate manager will be the person who has to deal with the complaint.  If it is related to a rule violation, he should be prepared to refer to these rules, but do so in a non-confrontational manner.  But it is vital to listen actively, stay calm and empathetic and avoid getting defensive or confrontational.”
 
When all attempts to placate the resident fail, Kinnear suggests it may be useful to try the following tips adapted from an article relating to how landlords should placate unreasonable tenants:
 
Know who you’re dealing with.  Ask yourself if this is the type of person who raises unreasonable complaints all the time, or has this person historically been reasonable in his or her requests? If the latter case, you might want to try working with the person to solve the problem. One ‘unreasonable’ request, if isolated, isn’t a big deal in the long run. But if this is part of a pattern of unreasonable complaints, you’ll want to find an alternative resolution.
 
Acknowledge the complaint.  This is a good step to take no matter what your perspective is, or what your history with the resident has been. Leaving the complaint unanswered can breed resentment, because it inspires the resident to think you’re uncaring or unavailable. Instead, be proactive and immediate, and simply acknowledge the perceived problem exists from the resident’s perspective, and say that you will come back to him on the complaint.  You don’t have to commit to anything further at this point, but gives you time to think about your next move.
 
Allow time for the resident time to cool off. Sometimes, the resident will realise they’re being unreasonable after they’ve lodged a complaint and let it simmer for a while. For example, they may be angry and irritable after a rough day of work and complain about a noisy neighbour who wasn’t really being that loud. If you give the complainer some space between the original complaint and your possible resolution, he or she may come to terms with the fact that the complaint was initiated during an emotional peak, and the person might have overreacted to an innocuous situation.  If you haven’t heard from him for a few days, make sure to go back to him or her and check whether they still expect some kind of intervention.
 
Avoid asking “how high?” A common scenario shows one person saying “jump,” and the other responding with the question: “How high?” This immediately implies the manager/director/trustee  will follow instructions, and possibly offer to do even more to keep the requester happy. However, it may open the door to further unreasonable requests in the future. You should not ignore the communication or even refuse to try to help, but don’t go out of your way to placate the resident when it’s not yet clear there’s a real issue at stake.
 
Be straightforward about your perspective. If the resident has repeated the tendency to make unreasonable requests to the point where you’re losing patience, take a step back and communicate your perspective in simple, clear terms. Arrange for a phone call or a sit-down, and tell the person that you feel the series of requests has drifted outside the reasonable and expected realm of resident norms. While some residents will likely turn defensive about this, others may take what you say to heart. In either scenario, you’ve made your stance clear, which will hopefully have an effect on the rate at which you receive further complaints.
 
Kinnear continues:  “Every community scheme should have its own internal dispute resolution process, and this should be followed even if the request is deemed irrational at first sight.  If all attempts to placate an unreasonable resident request fail, ask the resident to provide a formal, written complaint to the scheme.  If the complaint is clearly not one that the scheme can be expected to deal with, the resident is then free to approach the CSOS.
 
He concludes:  “Managing unreasonable resident complaints can be challenging.  It is a given that the person being confronted with the complaint must respond in a respectful manner and follow the complaint resolution process as far as it can go.  Patience, empathy and a solution-orientated approach are management’s most powerful tools in addressing unreasonable complaints and ensuring the well-being of their community.”
 
About ResidentPortal
 
Resident Portal is a comprehensive online portal designed for managing sectional title, HOA, or any other community scheme. The system is specifically designed to streamline community communication, request management, and event scheduling, allowing for a more organised and efficient living experience for all residents.
 
Resident Portal enables easy access to vital information about the community, including contact information, upcoming events, and facility bookings. It provides a centralised location for logging requests and complaints, ensuring that all issues are addressed in a timely and effective manner.
 
We invite you to try Resident Portal and experience the benefits of streamlined communication, simplified request management, and efficient event scheduling.
 
For more information, contact:  Omar Kinnear, 078 798 3378
info@residentportal.co.za
www.residentportal.co.za