AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN NASARAWA

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IN NASARAWA

ABSTRACT

A building fabric is referred to as an “environmental envelope” because it is the means by which the natural or external environment may be modified, to produce a satisfactory internal environment for man to live in. The deterioration of residential buildings hampers its ability to perform adequately, thus is important to ensure proper maintenance to prevent deterioration. This project therefore attempts to assess the impact of property maintenance on residential property in Nasarawa. Due to the neglect of the maintenance component of the housing process in the country, a lot of public and private residential buildings are in a state of disrepair.  In view of the above, this study was designed to assess the current condition of residential buildings, identify the underlying principal causes of poor maintenance of residential properties, analyses the maintenance policy and p ractice and capacity of the maintenance and make suggestions and recommendations towards the adoption of effective maintenance policy and innovations that would address the property maintenance problem in residential property.  The field investigations focused on residential buildings. The study also established the following factors as being responsible for the poor maintenance of residential buildings: The age of the buildings, Lack of maintenance culture, Inadequate funds and high maintenance cost, pressure on building facilities by number of users and poor construction work and maintenance work done by maintenance personnel of the institution. The study concludes by enumerating a number of recommendations aimed at providing the necessary framework for proper and effective maintenance of buildings. These among others are: the need for public institutions to embrace preventive maintenance practice as a high priority rather than adhoc maintenance.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.0       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Provision of adequate, affordable and high standard and quality housing that meets the social, economic and political aspirations of the citizenry remains the primary and major focus of all governments the world over. This is because the fulfillment of this desirable social objective is a key component of sustainable development (Ibem and Amole, 2010) and a measure of the well being of the people. According to Leong (2009), housing is a major factor impacting on the health, safety, socio-economic and political life of the occupants. In fact it impacts all aspect of human endeavour. Thus, the state of housing and its environment is an indicator of the level of development and condition and state of the citizenry.

Physical infrastructure constitutes a high proportion of the country’s investment. It is therefore of primary importance that these facilities which include residential buildings are maintained in order that they can serve both the architectural and aesthetical functions for which they are built. The physical appearance of residential buildings in part constitutes the basis upon which the society makes their initial judgment of the quality of services to be offered.

One of the critical problems confronting the housing industry in Nigeria is the poor maintenance practice (Afranie and Osei Tutu, 1999). The role of residential buildings in national development cannot be over-emphasized. However, in spite of the heavy investment in residential buildings, residential building owners and occupants allow their structures to care for themselves without any sustainable maintenance plan to preserve the quality of the buildings. The continued efficient and effective performance of such property depends on the nature of their buildings in addition to other factors such as enhanced conditions of service, provision of the requisite tools etc.

Maintenance primarily, is to preserve buildings in their initial functional, structural and aesthetic states so that they continue to remain as such and retain their investment value over a long period of existence. It is therefore necessitated by deterioration of the materials and components of building(s) and its environment. It is the works undertaken in order to keep or restore every part of the building(s), its contents and its environment in an acceptable standard or condition. This includes but not limited to the carrying out regular repairs of works and the replacement of items in buildings and its environment that are in deplorable conditions.

According to Seeley 1987, neglect of maintenance has accumulative results with rapidly increasing deterioration of the fabric and finishes of a building accompanied by harmful effects on the contents and occupants. Therefore, buildings are too valuable assets to be neglected in this way. In his hierarchy of needs theory Maslow (1954) identifies five basic needs which are organized into successive level of importance in an ascending order. He identified physiological needs as the most basic needs of human beings which include air, food, water, shelter (housing), sex and sleep.

BS 3811(1984), define ‘maintenance’ as “The combination of all technical and associated administrative actions intended to retain an item in, or restore it to, a state in which it can perform its required function.”

Maintenance brings about improved utilization of buildings ensuring the highest safety standards. It must be emphasized that more rather than less maintenance work is necessary if the value and amenity of the nation’s building stock was to be maintained. A good maintenance system is also a good disaster mitigation system. Moreover, a well operated system of maintenance for buildings and equipment has the effect of being a very effective disaster mitigation measure in terms of cost and facility usage. It ensures the most economic way to keep the building and equipment in the best of form for normal use, given the original design and materials (http\\www.oas.org\en\cdmp).

When buildings are neglected, defects can occur which may result in extensive and avoidable damage to the building fabric or equipment. Poor maintenance has resulted in damage and deterioration to some residential buildings in Nigeria. Neglect of maintenance especially in relation to replacing electricity cables after thirty of use can also give rise to fire and safety hazards, which could result in the property owner being found liable for any injuries and damages.

1.2       Statement of The Problem

The main purpose of maintenance of property is essentially to retain its values for investment, aesthetic, safety, durability, with a view to ensuring that the property is continually in good condition for habitation and to the satisfaction of the owner(s) / users and communal prestige (Brennan, 2000).  Some residential have not seen any significant maintenance or show little signs of maintenance since they were constructed, some dating back to the colonial era. This has resulted in such buildings being in a dilapidated state with some being abandoned. This lack of maintenance by the owners and occupants of these facilities often leads to reduced lifespan of these buildings (Melvin, 1992), which invariably defeat the purpose for which they are developed. The problem of ownership of these buildings, where occupants regard it not as their own property and handle it without due care largely have resulted in the state in which most residential buildings find it. In some cases occupants do not recognize the building as their property and hence have passive attachment in relation to the efficient use and maintenance of the building.  In order to evolve an effective good maintenance practice regime for residential property, knowledge of effectiveness of the strategies adopted in the maintenance of this properties becomes necessary, hence this study “An assessment of the impact of property maintenance on residential property in Nasarawa.

1.3       Aim and Objectives of the Study

1.3.1    Aim

The study is generally expected to assess the impact of property maintenance on residential property in Nasarawa.

1.3.2    Objectives of the Study

      The specific objectives of this study are:

1. To Assess the current condition and state of residential buildings in the study area
2. To identify the underlying principal causes of poor maintenance of residential properties in Nasarawa.  
3. To analyse the maintenance policy and practice adopted in the maintenance of residential properties in the study area
4. To assess the impact of property maintenance on residential property value in the study area

1.4       Research Questions

In line with objectives of this study, the following research questions shall serve as a guide to the researcher:

1. What is the current condition and state of residential buildings in the study area
2. What are the underlying principal causes of poor maintenance of residential properties in Nasarawa? 
3. What are the maintenance policy and practice adopted in the maintenance of residential properties in the study area
4. Does property maintenance have significant impact on residential property value in the study area

1.5       Significance of the Study

This study is essential in the sense that it would not only contribute to knowledge and theory, but will also contribute to good maintenance practice of residential properties Nigeria. This is because the study will attempt to find out the factors that have contributed to the present state of non-maintenance of residential buildings some of which have been abandoned due to its state of deterioration.

Furthermore the study will assist managers of residential property to become aware of the current state of their building infrastructure and its effect on the safety and health of occupants and also to put in place adequate innovative measures to prevent new buildings put up to suffer deterioration which ultimately lead to increased cost in restoring these buildings to their original state.

With increasing demand for efficiency and effectiveness from workers in the public and private sector by the populace, this study will attempt to establish the linkage between the present states of residential buildings in relation to the social and economic impact it has on the occupants.

1.6       Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study is limited to the assessment of the impact of property maintenance on residential properties, the scope is limited to Nasarawa town in Nasarawa state. It is also limited by the objectives of the study as it is strictly out to assess the cause of poor maintenance and its impact of residential property value in Nasarawa.

Data gathering suffered due to delay in getting responses due to the schedule of work of especially personnel of the study area. In addition records keeping was a problem for all the institutions surveyed such that in some situation researcher had to collate the number of buildings himself. This also resulted in difficulty in identifying the buildings.

Notwithstanding the above limitations, the study results have not been affected and thus are credible, reliable and useful for any purposes of evaluation and feedback.

1.7       Operational Definition of Terms

Residential Properties: Oxford advanced learners dictionary defined residential properties as properties suitable for living in, consisting of houses rather than factories, or offices.

Property: Property is by property dictionary as anything that is owned by a person or entity, which be divided into “real property” and personal property.

Infrastructure: This is seen as a wide range of economic and social facilities crucial to creating an enabling environment for economic growth and enhances the quality of life, Nubi (2002).

Value: Value is basically the worth of a thing which depend largely on the basis of assessment and unit of measurement.

Property Value: property value according too Millington (1981) is the money obtainable from a person willing and able to purchase property when it is offered for sale by a willing seller, allowing for reasonable time for negotiation and with the full knowledge of the nature and uses which  the property is capable of being put.

 1.8      HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nasarawa Local Government area of Nasarawa state was established in 1976 during the military regime under the leadership of general Mohammed Administration, the local government have thirteen 13 wards and it consist of six department which is responsible for carried out the activities personal social primary health care agriculture and natural resources. The state derived its name from the local government Nasarawa. The local head quarter is between latitude 7.8 degree east by Karu.

 The also shared boundary with Benue state, Toto Local government area and federal capital territory, the local government have a population 187220 by the 2006 census through contest in the law court it has multi ethnic Afo, Agatu, Gwandara etc.  

THE PEOPLE AND THEIR OCCUPATION

The major ethnics groups are Hausa, Afo, Gwari, and Gwandara. The earliest inhabitants were predominantly farmers and some of them are fishermen they use river for their routine fishing.

 Besides, they were also engaged in rearing of cattle, black dying and weaving. Meanwhile, trading is one of their major occupation as a result of the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic.

TOPOGRAPHY

From an elevation of about 1,500 to 1,000 meters, the Nasarawa descends in a series of step to the wide Benue through the northern part of the low lands forms a continuous plain about 50 kilometers wide which gradually slopes from the foot of the Nasarawa towards river benue.

The western part of the northern low land is an area of transaction, only part of it can be regarded as belonging to the Benue plains.