What happens if someone vandalizes your elevator? As you know, no elevator contract covers elevator vandalism. What do elevator even consider vandalism and what can you do to prevent it?
What do elevator companies consider “elevator vandalism”?
Typically, anything that an elevator company can prove is elevator vandalism they will bill for. The most common types of vandalism or misuse and abuse as it is sometimes referred that your elevator company could bill you for are:
- Someone left the elevator in independent service (typically the cleaners)
- Trash or debris in the door sill from your tenants
- Construction work being done or cleaners sweep debris into
- People (typically kids) jumping in the elevator
Independent service
Typically, buildings will put the elevator in independent service (which I recommend for move-in’s), so the elevator won’t time out. Also, cleaners will usually put the elevator in independent service. I have seen cleaners forget to turn it off. The next day a tenant comes in and thinks the elevator is malfunctioning.
Tip: Always send your building engineer or building employee to verify that the elevator is not in independent service.
Tenant trash
People have a tendency to think that if they throw their trash down the elevator pit it goes to an endless void. Well thats not the case and sometimes that trash goes into the sills and can cause a shutdown.
Tip: Send your building engineer to inspect if there is any trash or debris in the elevator sills
Construction Debris
When tenants do build outs of their floors lots of dirt and construction debris is created. The construction works create debris which can block the door sill similar to tenant trash.
Tip: When doing a buildout make sure every elevator that can be, is sealed so debris does not fall down. Also, have the contractor or tenant cover the cost of a full clean down by your elevator company once it is completed.
Jumping on the elevator
When people jump in the elevator it can cause the safeties to trip, shutting down the elevator.
Tip: Sorry, there is nothing you can really do here. Kids will be kids. But luckily this is hard for the elevator company to prove so you likely won’t be billed for it.
My final secret that can help you save money from these charges. Be friends and treat your elevator mechanic with respect. After all, they can choose not to bill you. I have seen plenty of times where elevator mechanics responded to calls and could have billed for something in the elevator sills but didn’t. Another opportunity is to have your elevator mechanic respond to the call and ask if they can also do their elevator maintenance that day so they won’t bill you for travel time.
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