What a good annual maintenance contract actually includes
The inclusions to insist on, the exclusions that catch people out, and the questions to ask before signing anything.
The inclusions to insist on, the exclusions that catch people out, and the questions to ask before signing anything.
On this page
An annual maintenance contract changes the economics of owning property. Instead of paying emergency rates for failures that could have been anticipated, you pay a known annual figure for a scheduled program that catches problems while they are small.
The difficulty is that AMCs are sold on price and judged on the small print, and most disappointment comes from exclusions the customer never saw.
What a good contract includes
- A property survey and a written asset register before the price is set
- A stated number of scheduled preventative visits, with the scope of each
- Twice-yearly full AC servicing including coil cleaning and drain flushing
- Unlimited call-outs on covered systems within the contract hours
- Priority response ahead of non-contract customers, with a stated response time
- Minor repairs and consumables included, with the definition of 'minor' written down
- Discounted rates on anything outside scope
- A written report after every visit
- An annual condition report with a costed forward plan
The exclusions that catch people out
- Major component replacement, particularly compressors, motors and control boards
- Anything the contract calls a 'consumable' without defining it
- Out-of-hours attendance where the contract hours are narrower than you assumed
- Systems present at the property but not listed in the asset register
- Damage caused by third parties, by the tenant, or by prior poor workmanship
- Making good after access, such as opening and repairing a ceiling
None of these are unreasonable in themselves. What is unreasonable is discovering them at the point of failure. Ask for the exclusions in writing, and read them before the inclusions.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Will you survey the property before quoting, or is this a menu price?
- How many visits, and what exactly happens on each one?
- What is your committed response time for a total cooling failure in August?
- What counts as a minor repair, and where is that defined?
- Are the technicians your own employees?
- What do I receive after each visit?
- What happens if I sell the property mid-term?
A contractor who answers all seven clearly is worth more than one who is 15 per cent cheaper and vague on three of them.
What it should cost
| Property | Typical annual range |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment | From AED 1,499 |
| 3-bedroom apartment or townhouse | AED 2,200 to 3,200 |
| 4 to 5 bedroom villa | AED 3,000 to 5,500 |
| Large villa with pool and multiple systems | Priced after survey |
| Building or portfolio | Priced after survey, with consolidated reporting |
Any figure quoted for a villa without a survey is a guess, and guesses are corrected later in the direction that suits the contractor.
When an AMC is not worth it
For a single studio or one-bedroom apartment with one split unit, paying per visit is often more economical. Two services a year plus the occasional call-out will usually come to less than a contract.
AMCs earn their value where there are multiple systems, where the property is tenanted, where you own several units, or where the cost of a failure is disproportionate to the cost of preventing it. We will tell you honestly which category you are in.
Common questions
Not usually, and any contract that claims to at a low price is worth reading twice. Major components are normally quoted separately at contract rates, which are meaningfully lower than standard rates.
Yes. Contracts can be amended mid-term with the annual figure adjusted proportionally. Many customers start with AC and plumbing and add electrical or cleaning later.
The contract can be transferred to the new owner at no charge, or canceled on thirty days notice with the unused portion refunded pro rata.
Yes, with multi-unit scheduling, common-area and plant-room coverage, consolidated reporting and a single named account contact.
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