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Your Building's Superintendent
Examining the Super's Role and Performance
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If you had to name the single most valuable individual to your co-op or condo, who would it be? Certainly, your board president, managing agent, corporate counsel and accountant are key players. But boards and residents should never underestimate the importance of a competent, conscientious superintendent. The condition of your building's mechanical systems, how well maintained its public areas are and even aspects of its financial condition can all be traced to how well your superintendent performs. Knowing how to gauge your super's performance and how to improve it for the future will go a long way toward making your property the best it can be.
The Super's RoleThe role of the superintendent demands an ever-increasing level of professionalism and competence in a wide variety of areas. "The super must be conversant with every mechanical and technical system in the building, work diplomatically to solve problems in the building, be responsive to residents and be able to work as a team member with the board and the managing agent," says Steve Kessler, director of management at Andrews Building Corp. in Manhattan.
"He should be cost-conscious and honest when it comes to working with vendors and contractors, proactive when it comes to heading off problems, and he should have all the appropriate training and licenses in such areas as boilers, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and fire safety," adds Pat Goldwater, vice president of Aptek Management in Manhattan. "He also should be on the premises or immediately available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she adds.
In fact, the Housing Maintenance Code of Union 32B/J, the union that covers building workers such as superintendents, clearly states that in residential buildings of ten or more units, the super must live either on-site or within 200 feet of the building. "And," says Jerry Picaso, principal of the Manhattan-based management company Gerard J. Picaso, "he should be able to effectively manage the handymen, the porters and all other building staff members." Despite all these "shoulds," it's interesting to note that no specific description of a superintendent's job responsibilities is included in the Union 32B/J contract.
"It does sometimes say what the super can't do," points out Donald Maher, a partner with the law firm of Maher & Brown and a labor and employment expert. "For instance, supers can't collect rent. But in general, job duties are not described."
Who decides what your superintendent is supposed to do? "The super, managing agent and board have pretty much free range in constructing a job description as long as it's consistent with the collective bargaining agreement," says Maher. "However, I don't know that I would always recommend that there be a written job description because later on if you ask someone to do something that isn't explicitly in there, you can get, "˜That's not my job.' Nevertheless, from the perspective of management, it is better to have a clear understanding of what is expected of the superintendent." To ameliorate the apparent negatives of a written job description, Maher advises that any such document contain a catch-all phrase, such as, "Plus any other directive issued by (whomever)."
Managing agents Kessler, Goldwater and Picaso all strongly advocate written job descriptions, pointing out the necessity of specifying job duties so that they can be referred to if disputes arise and also so that they can be used to quantify and measure performance. The board, the managing agent and the super should all collaborate on the creation of a job description, and should agree that it is fair and reasonable and that it will be used as the minimum standard of job performance. Goldwater suggests that the job description contain clear directives regarding whether or not and under what circumstances a super can perform private work for residents, so that no misunderstandings occur.
An Even Better SuperIn terms of job training, Union 32B/J provides many classes, as do several area educational institutions. However, while most of these courses are technical in nature and many lead to eligibility for licenses appropriate to a superintendent's position, there are few, if any, courses that train superintendents in the necessary people skills they need to be top-notch in their profession.
"Many of the guys who came up through the ranks have had no training in supervision, management or interpersonal communication," observes Maher, "and they can be a little rough around the edges."
In response, several management companies have instituted in-house superintendent training programs that include such topics as staff supervision and how to get along with residents. "But not everyone can be trained in those areas," observes Kessler. "In most cases, you either have it or you don't." The best superintendents have not only technical skills but also understand how to supervise and manage people, how to communicate productively with the board, management and residents, and how to deal honestly and effectively with the myriad vendors and contractors who service the building.
Super or Resident Manager?"In smaller buildings," says Picaso, "you typically find supers performing all the duties commonly associated with a superintendent as well as those of a handyman and a porter, such as doing repairs and taking out the trash. In slightly larger buildings, the super may have a porter but he still does hands-on repairs. In still larger buildings, where there's a staff of handymen and porters, the superintendent's job of necessity becomes more managerial."
"Resident managers are generally not covered by any labor agreement, nor is there any definition in the labor agreement as to what they are," says Maher, who explains that the law defines resident managers as supervisors who have the authority to perform such functions as hiring, firing, setting terms and conditions of employment, approving overtime, and assigning and supervising the work of others.
The Staff HierarchyWhere your super stands in the hierarchy of your building's management, and how he is perceived and treated by the board, by management and by residents, are important issues to address. Universally, it is the job of the board to set policy, the job of the managing agent to implement that policy and supervise the super, and the super's job to supervise the building staff and report back to management. Often, however, boards that want their superintendents to feel a greater sense of responsibility and loyalty to the building demonstrate a higher level of respect for their work as evidenced, for instance, by their invited participation in at least part of the monthly board meeting and in the annual meeting.
"That certainly would give the super a sense of being in the loop," says Picaso. Kessler advises that, whether or not the super is invited to the monthly board meetings, he should definitely be included in the appropriate aspects of large capital projects since the super is - or ideally, should be - a building's first line of defense when it comes to such projects.
"It's important that the board, management and the super be on the same wavelength," adds Elliot Meisel, a partner with the Manhattan law firm Brill & Meisel. "Many of the more successful boards are those that keep their directives and policy decisions to a minimum and allow their managing agent and the super to work out polices and procedure that benefit the building."
Disciplinary ActionWhen a super fails to perform up to standard, there are mechanisms to remedy the situation. In buildings where the superintendent is not a member of the union, the board can terminate him at will, assuming legitimate cause. Where the superintendent is a union member, a program of progressive discipline exists that goes from a documented verbal warning to a one-, two-, or three-day suspension with or without pay to discharge, again assuming legitimate cause.
In both non-union and union situations, when a superintendent commits a criminal act or poses a demonstrable danger by his presence, he can be fired immediately. And in any disciplinary situation, it is imperative that both the board and management maintain accurate and ongoing documentation of the disciplinary actions taken for their own purposes and also for their protection in the event the super brings suit against them or initiates an arbitration proceeding.
Respect for Crucial ServicesClear communication about the building's chain of command and its expectations are key to good job performance. Providing decent living conditions, the tools necessary to get the job done (including a beeper or a cell phone for instant communication) and respect for the crucial services the super provides, are also instrumental in creating a productive working relationship.
"People need to be educated to the fact that the super has studied to do his job and that he has the ability to potentially save the building tens of thousands of dollars," says Goldwater.
Stuart Sandhouse, board president of a 143-unit co-op in Manhattan, agrees. "You've got to get your super involved in the decision-making process and make him a part of the team," says Sandhouse, "because he's the one who knows the building better than anyone. He's to be listened to and respected for his knowledge and the contribution he makes to the building. Take him seriously and take good care of him. He's a very valuable resource, and good superintendents are not easy to come by."
Ms. Dershowitz is Contributing Editor for The Cooperator.Comments
Very Interested article. True that many super's are hired without the proper qualifications and requirements. One of the things I have discovered about super's and or residential managers is that they lack leadership skills and personnel management. As a Retired Marine I have taken note of this. I am a Lobby Man in a Coop. I have worked for 3 super's and the one I work for, now though he knows he is 7/24. but never there. The point of contact for the tenants is the super, in my building the point of contact is the doorman. who then calls the super to relay the message, which at times the super lies and tells the tenant he never got the message. Which discredits the doorman. I am certain this happens else where. Some supers are hired with out meeting the requirements and that is because the agents doing the hiring also lacks the skills in recruting or the job is bought. To often I hear the tenants complaint about the super. An example a tenant asked me to unclug her toilet, my reply was I need to inform the super so he can do the job and the tenant ask me not to because he does not know what he is doing. The same tenant one day asked me to call the super to check his meter, we went to the basement and the tenant asked the super, look at my meter and tell me what is wrong with it, and he said nothing, then the tenant asked me, I had no choice but to tell him that someone is stealing his electricity because of a cable attached to it. It was embarrasing. So I ask myself how can someone get hire to fill in the position as a super. The tenant is right. Another example is supervision of the staff, they lack the ability to lead and set the example for the staff to follow. They lack the ability to take responsibility for there actions and except responsibility. When anything happens, instead of being honest and correcting the problem, they place the blame on someone else. When it comes to the tenants, they show more favortizm toward the board members then the rest of the tenants. And here is where they also lack the people skills, not only with the staff. Lots of super fail to realize that the employees are the back bone of the operation of the building therefore they too have to be treated with respect and also trained in building operations in the event that the super cannot be reached. and this is one of the problems that we have where I work. My super knows that I have experience in leadership and also building operation. Because my resume states that I too operated buildings in the Marine Corps as logistic chief. and that I am more qualified then he is. Therefore I become a threat for him and does not which for me to get involve in any emergency situation when he is not around. He knows that I have all my license which I have obtained thru 32bj. Not that I lacked the experience because I too as a kid learned from my father the landlord/super before I joined the corps. Back to your article. I think that the main problem is the hiring process. First, individual needs to be sreen more thouroughly. If he/she lacks the requirements, they should not be hired. This also tells me that these jobs are bought and paid for. I liked your article, because you to realize the problems with super. The truth is they are 7/24 and have to be able to respond immediately and be able to make timely and sound decision and alot of super lack leadership skills.
The role of the superintendent is more important than the board members. The board members go off to work and are away from the building as much as 14 hours a day while the superintendent is there much of the 24 hours a day other than his time off and vacation. The superintendent runs the daily operations and when board members get involve with those operations that is when the staff takes cover because they are made aware that the superintendent is the boss and they follow his rules but when board members start to direct the staff it sends a sign that the superintendent is not doing his job. When it comes to managers not all managers are real managers many of them come from in house such as a relative or friend of a manager but I feel that the best managers are produced from someone who was a handyman or superintendent I feel these managers make the best managers since they worked the field as they say in order to run a building you must learn how to clean it first, So when a manager who was once a worker with in the field can relate to the staff at a clear level of understanding the workers issues. When you have a manager who is from the books these are the worst ones it's like a plumber dealing with a designer the designer wants the sink in a location that the plumber knows for a fact it will never work there due to the location of the pipe chase but still the designer wants the the sink in that location, So it's important to have the right manager working the building so that the building can run smoothly. Board mebers should never direct staff at any time. Work related issues should be sent through the manager never over step the superintendent of the building.
There should be a directory of superintendant's contact info, in the event that there is a problem in the building so that the super can be contacted to help out with things. From Package deliveries to problems with machinery in the building the super's number should be accessible so that he can be contacted in the event of an emergency.
I sit here and think to myself what this article say is so true. I as a superintendent know my building, mytenents and the everyday people that walk around my building, who works in what store. I can even tell you what tenents leave at what time, when they come back and what they are like. I even know who their friends are and what eacperson does for a living. That's my tenents. I know all my management, I know the boss, I know what needs to be fixed, I know what is broken and was not fixed properly and I know where the management skimps on repairs I even know all laws. I know a lot about my job. But here in Canada even if we know all this we aren't protected like us workers are. The only thing protected is are vacation pay by any labour board and government official. But here's the thing, most tenents don't appreciate when you clean, take the garbage and the majority of things. They don't realize that this is not our property but the people they rented off. As a super it is difficult in the long run being 24/7 and hearing everyone complain and so on. Most super's are underpayed overworked and people don't see it this way. I am glad I read this and maybe I will find the 100000 job and maybe a little peace wil come when I am on the toilet and someone knocks on my door and I think @#$% I can't even go to the washroom!
As for doormen as Rodz_Pr comments, Us supers have to deal 24/7 with guys like him. Doormen who don't know how to keep their mouth shut. Over socializing, gossiping, and undermining the super is a problem in all buildings. The problem is that they have a dead end job. 8 hours of sitting on there buts. Get a life...
I've read a couple of these articles and i can't believe what i'm reading , first of all super's are not appreciated the way they should be.super's run the show.i know people who are par time superintendents through out the five borough's full time and part time.the super's in the city have union and have a good pay,but the parttime super's that work out of the city,they get paid monthly for maintenance work ,but the work they do is weekly ,garbage get 's thrown twice a week, the building get' s moped everyweek and the street get's sweep almost everyday,but there getting paid monthly.no union and the landlord expects someone to be home 9-5 babysitting the premises but there not getting paid for it.also their expected to lot's more with no extra pay. regardless of full or partime every superintendent job should offer union ,401k etc.it's a job .for the part time superintendents they should get paid weekly even though (part time) means maintenance ,than their job should only consist of maintenance work and manager's should expect any thing else,like being on call 24/7 why should u ur not getting paid for it,also u tenants think the super is their personal assistant.especially the buildings with par time super's and no doormen,handymen,porter's,the landlord's take advantage of the partime superintendent's i think it's illegal and i would like to know is there any law against this i know alot of people who do this and don't say anything about it because they don't know how the law works and have no info regard's to this matter. it's wrong.
As for nycsuper's comment to rodz_pr...Who you kidding?? Doormen are out on the front lines facing the people and their problems, whether everyday problems, or their buildings problems, and also helping them. When there is a low time, they sit..Supers are hidden in their apts, or a work shop, until they are called upon, not dealing with this....Supers can watch soap operas or do anything in the luxury of their homes. It must be nice Mr. nycsuper to have that added luxury of your doormen being your front shield. And you wonder why some doormen undermine the super? Wake up, tool.
I enjoyed your article very much and as a Superintendent for the past 14 years at the same location I wish I could make the constant changing Board of Directors how important the position of Superintendent
I will try to make it nice and short about my life as a super. I have work as a super for some time know and it is not easy. My experience for different Mgr or buildings have not been good at all but am still working as a super. Example, the super is not there for tenants to try to talk down to him. I can honestly say i have not gotten paid what i deserve. Last super job, 62 unit building and only got paid $2000 a month. 24/7 the joke is on me because no benefits, no raise and yes i give the tenant a kind of attitude, but they cant say i have not been there for them. And i want to work even harder but what about me. And also the problem can be in mgr, they don't want to spend on the building. I will leave you with this to think about because at the end i know i am a hard worker who has not been compensated, why don't you try sticking around your job 24/7 to only get 1 or 2 week vacation, take care and good bye.
after reading all the articles here and relating myself I find it disturbing to note that persons working in residential buildings and condos are completely taken for granted, under paid and are in fact the closest thing to slavery I have ever seen!. persons whom have not worked in this field Have NO clue to the unbelievable stress, incredible work load, little to no time off, the inhuman treatment from tenants and management. it is no wonder That I have met so many supers and resident managers that are alcoholics, drug users or taking perscription medicine just to maintain their everyday lives. a vast majority of the workforce in the USA and Canada have no Idea what 24/7 means! when you work your 9-5 and get to spend time with your family, do your shopping and or have social gatherings or just sit back and rest after a hard days work understand that as a super there is no social life, there is no rest after a hard days work you barely have time to pay your bills or do any shopping!!! a super's job NEVER ends at 5pm at every hour of the day you are expected to be there ready to fix any problem. I have been a Super for five years and I truly love what I do but when you have 20-30 apartments to clean,repair,paint, replace everything from appliances to light fixtures in units that residents have treated like a personal dump in a time frame that is unreal. most management companies require supers to do what in my area call back to back rentals where a resident has vacated the unit on the last day of the lease agreement and the next resident takes possession on the first, most supers are required to have these units prepared within 6 to 8 hours, if the average apartment takes one to two hours to prepare (if the unit is in good condition) then how are they to accomplish this task to 15 - 20 units? In my current property I receive 5-8 repair requests daily, my property is 36 years old and the vast majority of repair requests are of a plumbing nature and require anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours pending on the severity of the repair, to ask that a super be there for every call on the spot is IMPOSSIBLE!, property management companies and owners are more and more lessening the quantity of capable staff to save costs and requiring supers to undertake more responsibillity than ever before for pay that is without question lower than the single person working in a private service company. in my research there are really no laws protecting persons in this field. In Canada a property management company can fire a couple with little notice and then are given 7 days to vacate their homes after termination! I found this to be outrageous!!, in the five years I have worked as a super I have seen 6 couples fired and thrown out into the streets with no where to go and clearly very little funds simply because they where unable to perform the duties of 4 people whom had quit their jobs due to lack of respect, incredible work load and little to no time off. I myself have just completed a 60 day straight , 24/7 of work with no time off, no night off, no assistance of any kind from ownership and management in a 360 unit property. again for those whom have worked in this area of property management you will truly understand the unjust treatment of persons and couples who endure this day after day with little or no respect what so ever! I only pray that the government carefully re-examine the laws pertaining to workers in this field and put in place mandatory acts that ensure equal rights for those of us who work night and day 24/7 to make sure your building or property is safe and problem free and maintained and remember in most cases that we live together in the same place you call home.
I am the super of a bldg on the eastside and a member of 32bj, that there in lies the problem. Its seems the union back the workers and not the Superintendents, I have works who come in to get a paycheck, and thats it, I have to be constantly holding their hands and checking their work. They refuse to follow the schedule. I have taken pictures and written them up so many times, suspended them and they go to the union and they get back their days of suspension and my write ups go out the window. they laugh as they know that my write-ups dont mean a thing. Its a losing battle. Management knows this. the Union has created lazy workers, the guys know they can get away with many things, they walk around with their union hats and smile at me. "Like you cant touch me". In the bldg they know one of the workers is a theif and he has begun getting all the workers against me cause I said something and they are going along with him. I have begun to do some of my handyman's work cause he does not know how to do some of the jobs, I have mentioned it to Managment and they say teach him, I have he does not get it, still keeps making the same mistakes. Management comes around and I get the short end of the stick cause these guys are not performing up to par, no matter what I have said, done, tried. I have taken pictures of the dirty floors, elevators they do not clean and wham, the Union goes and throws it out the window, I have a file 2 yrs old of one guy and been to arbritration and nothing, guy still has his job. The Superintendent's job is between a rock and a hard place. The union really have created a mess and no one knows better the needs of the building and tenants as the Super does. Managment comes around once or 2x a week for 20 minutes and they are gone the Super is there 24/7 and knows the ins and outs of the building, also the personality of the staff NOT THE UNION OR MANAGMENT. BUT THE UNION ALWAYS TAKES THE SIDE OF WORKERS. No matter what. without actually living, breathing and being in the building and with the staff and all the nonsense that goes on on an everyday level. The Unions maybe good for benefits and education and collecting dues they are great otherwise they have created workers who dont give a hoot about their jobs only the paycheck. I guess that is what matters money to pay the dues. It would be great for Superintendents to have a say in hiring of the porters, doormans, etc. the Supers are the ones who have to work with these people all the time not the Managment. They just send these guys over to a building and you have go accept them without knowing if they are really qualified. The Supers have no real input or say in the run of the building they must do what Management says if not they are OUT. The Supers have no real power and the staff knows it. Its all up to the Unions and Management. Supers are the Puppets if they dont do what the Management or Unions say they are out of a job and the staff knows it. Many times I have had suggestions on how to make the building better, known of a more experience and better worker for the building and the Management did not want to hear it. So the Super who lives, eat and breathes the building knows what best for the building does not have a voice. but Managment who comes around for 20 minutes once or 2x a week, knows what is best. Really, what do we need Managment for? Teach the Super how to do administrative work and they can do it all! These Management companies just eat more of the profits that is all. Just hire a Property Manager and put his office in the building along with the Super and you dont need all those extras... They are just collecting a profit from the owner. What a waste....
how many unite is a building to have to have a live in superindent my friend has 5 buidling he takes care of and does not live on site one building has 40 and the other has 28 they are on diffenrent blocks what can he do with in the law please email me at gomcr7@aol.com
i'v bin running a building for past 11 years took over the building that was run down with boiler that needed maintenance on a daily basses,1 to 5 repairs on a daily basses. when there was no heat at 3 am tenants called me the (super)not the management to give em heat, well any way i'v bin basicaly killin myself under paid& saving $$$$$$$$ for the mngmnt finaly last year we'v decided to change the boiler to gass getn the carpets done on all the floors painting the building i thought to myself finaly i can get some rest now & do the regular maintenance that super should be doin instead they told me now they want a new face so all my effort on making the building to a good standards turned against me & got me fired ps i agree that something should be done thrue a governing body abt this situation as was throwin out in short notice without a couse
To NYCSUPER. It seems that you do not agree with the article I written, maybe you yourself fall under the same catagory. Live rent free, do nothing and get paid for doing nothing while professional like me have to cover for you. It is not that I associate with the tenants, they associate with me cause the boss is never around. Therefore you must be the same. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are a professional super. W hen tenants depend more on the doorman then the super then there is something definetely wrong with the super, that the tenants do not wish to associate with him. Is this is happening to you. If so, take my advice and quit or correct your mistake. There is always room for improvement baba. Never to late for improvement. Taake correspondence courses on leadership and pyschology on the job..
im sorry bud but it seems that you are the 1 that put yourself out there for the tenants to deppend on , your job is onley to be a doorman as you said . to be as friendley as you can be to cover yourself & you should kno nothing abt the building works unless you tell them that you do so thats y they come to you for advice pallllllll stay out of some1 elses bussines ty
what credentials are necessary to be a super and how I check if my super is qualified for the position?? , clean and
