While predictive maintenance is the latest regime adopted by facility management providers that have the infrastructure and knowledge to do so, a combination of multiple models may be required in a single property based on the type of assets available, according to a spokesperson from Concordia, a leading FM service provider in the UAE.

There are different types of maintenance services for different properties, the main types include proactive or predictive maintenance, planned preventive maintenance, responsive maintenance, and emergency maintenance.

1. Proactive or predictive maintenance - This type of maintenance involves taking precautionary measures to avert asset breakdowns in the future. It applies systematic inspections, upgrades, suitable lubrication, adjustments, and replacement of outdated equipment or parts. Predictive Maintenance also incorporates Internet of Things and smart data that helps the operators in predicting problems before they occur and prevent them from happening accordingly. Sensors that measure vibration and heat are some of these examples that can send signals to operators with certain warnings before the asset shows any significant signs of failure. The benefits of this approach to property maintenance include minimised downtime, improved life expectancy, and reduced energy consumption of assets. 
2. Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) - Planned Maintenance surrounds any maintenance duties that are scheduled and recorded. Maintenance tasks are strategically planned and carried out to avoid unforeseen breakdowns within a property. It provides the benefit of substantial cost savings in the long run. It also offers peace of mind with timely inspections. Planned Preventative Maintenance models usually follow international standards such as SFG 20 with some variations based on the type of the assets and the environments they operate in.
3. Responsive Maintenance - Responsive Maintenance or Reactive Maintenance caters to a breakdown once it has occurred. It concentrates on rectifying failed assets and restoring them to working conditions. Though it isn't ideal, this strategy does offer a few advantages like little to no investment cost and zero time invested in planning. However, it could mean more expenses in the future.
4. Emergency Maintenance - Similar to Reactive Maintenance, Emergency Maintenance is used as a last-minute response to an unexpected breakdown of an asset. However, the failure to correct the issue in time could be of risk to those on the property. This type of maintenance tends to be expensive, often requiring extensive effort.

"It is crucial to choose a Facility Management company that guarantees expertise across various aspects of property maintenance. It is also important to prioritise a service that is backed by advanced equipment to give you the best experience," he said.

Be it residential units or business parks, every property will need a range of maintenance services for its upkeep. By regularly scheduling the right services, a property can serve its residents or visitors with the best possible experience.

"A proper maintenance regime also ensures optimal and efficient operations of the property assets. This leads to the assets’ lifecycle meeting and/or exceeding expectations. Benefits to that include; lowering costs of asset repair, longer life of assets means fewer replacements, and finally lower energy consumption during the operations," the spokesperson added.