By Michael Baum PCAM Baum Property Management AAMC

As in many relationships, boards and management companies part ways when things don’t work out between them. What goes wrong? Is there a common denominator?

Usually it is because the board and management company are not “on the same page.” A termination letter is sent to the management company instead of sitting down, defining roles, and discussing expectations.

When a change occurs, a vast amount of on-the-job experience is lost and the new management company will have to begin at square one. After terminating the management company, the board has to conduct a search for a new management company, and then spend the time and effort to bring the new management company up-to-speed on the association. Life would be more productive and easier for both the board and the management company if they tried to get on the same page by discussing the reasons for dissatisfaction and made improvements in their relationship instead of just parting ways.

Every management company loses business from time to time. Sometimes it just isn’t a good fit, but 80% of the time, the cause for separation has a common denominator.

Based upon my thirty-eight years in the common interest community association business, I believe that common denominator of why