Confessions of a Property Manager

August is the peak season for holiday makers and maintenance problems.  Full occupancy and same day changeovers mean maximum rental weeks booked and continuous use of appliances.  Things break down!  

Top of the list is air conditioning!   
With sweltering temperatures of up to 38 holidaymakers flock to Spain for the sun, however although they like to bake in it for most of the day they want the apartment nice and cool.  Most leave the aircon on for most of the time so with continuous use either the gas runs out and then the units just blow air or another favourite is that you will get leaks from the indoor units due to the build up of condensation and/or blocked drainage pipes.  

Can it be prevented? - not always but a service before the season is advisable to make sure the gas levels are right and if the filters are cleaned the unit will work better.  You can also check beneath the indoor units for leaks, if the unit is above the tiles in the bathroom usually you will notice damp patches appearing.  If a drainage pipe is blocked the units can leak a lot of water which can sometimes be mis-diagnosed as flooding from an upstairs apartment so it is important to investigate both options.  

Consequences - if the air conditioning is not working phone a good engineer as soon as possible! During peak season you may not be able to get an engineer the same day so if you can get in quick you reduce the time your guests are without air con.  Guests will complain about the absence of this, if the problem persists and they spend many hot, uncomfortable nights in an apartment which was advertised with air con you may have "compensation" issues .  So deal with this as quickly and efficiently as possible.  

Remember the hotter it is outside the more the air con system has to work inside so advise your guests to close all doors and windows if they have the unit on!!