Commercial Building Manager Questions you Might Consider asking
Choosing a new commercial office is a long‑term commitment. While the location, layout, and lease terms may tick the boxes, there is another critical factor that often determines whether a building will truly support your business over time: how the building is managed.
As a tenant, you are not just leasing space—you are buying into the culture, systems, and standards of the landlord and their building manager.
Your employees, visitors, contractors, and most importantly your clients will interact with the building every day. Asking the right questions of the Commercial Building Manager can provide valuable insight into how the building is operated, maintained, and governed.
You may have already spoken with existing tenants and received mostly positive feedback. That is useful—but the building manager sits at the intersection between landlord expectations and tenant experience. Their answers will often reveal the true tone and attitude behind the building’s operation.
Below are practical, commercial building manager questions worth asking.
1. Is There an Asset Register?
Many buildings—particularly in the residential and mixed‑use sector—either do not have an asset register or maintain one that is outdated and incomplete.
An asset register does not need to be complex. While modern facility management software provides strong platforms, even a well‑maintained spreadsheet is far better than nothing.
Why this matters:
- An asset register indicates structured maintenance planning
- It reduces reactive repairs and unexpected failures
- It reflects the operational culture of the facility management provider
A building that actively maintains an asset register is more likely to be proactive, transparent, and accountable.
2. Do You Keep Records of Essential Services and Their Locations?
Each year, an Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) is submitted to the local council. This document relies on accurate records and cross‑correlations between essential services.
Key questions to probe include:
- Are records kept showing which assets are tested each year?
- For example, if only 20% of fire dampers are required to be tested annually, are the same dampers being tested every year—or is there a structured rotation?
- Are all fire extinguishers current and in test?
- Are replacement and retest dates clearly recorded?
Why this matters: Non‑compliance with essential services legislation can result in significant fines and, more importantly, increased risk to occupants. Clear, confident answers usually indicate effective systems and strong compliance governance.
3. Do You Require Sub‑Contractors to Have an Environmental Policy?
While environmental policies are often not legally binding, they are powerful indicators of business values and professionalism.
If contractors engaged in the building have taken the time to consider their environmental impact—and document it—it reflects:
- A level of corporate responsibility
- A forward‑thinking management approach
- Alignment with environmentally conscious tenants
If a contractor has no policy at all, it raises a simple question: if environmental responsibility is not considered, what other standards may be overlooked?
4. Do You Have a Waste Management Policy?
Many buildings provide only basic waste separation—typically paper/cardboard and landfill. Higher‑performing buildings go further.
A well‑managed building will usually include:
- Co‑mingled recycling
- Paper and cardboard streams
- Landfill waste
- Clear signage and tenant education
Pursuing excellence in facilities management includes reducing environmental impact through effective waste treatment and diversion.
5. Are There Records Showing the Policy Is Being Followed?
This question separates policy from performance.
Premium commercial buildings often:
- Measure waste by weight
- Track waste streams via bar‑coding
- Use NABERS Waste protocols for benchmarking
These systems allow peer‑to‑peer comparison between buildings and provide objective evidence of how well the building is actually being managed.
6. Is the Policy Publicly Available?
A surprisingly revealing question.
The ideal answer is:
“Yes—it’s available on our website.”
This demonstrates confidence, transparency, and a willingness to stand behind the building’s standards. It also shows that management understands their operation is part of the building’s value proposition.
7. Do You Have a Workplace Health and Safety System for the Building?
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) systems form the foundation of a zero‑injury workplace—the shared goal of landlords, tenants, and contractors.
Look for:
- Documented WHS procedures
- Contractor induction processes
- Incident reporting and corrective action systems
Strong WHS systems indicate disciplined management and genuine care for people using the building.
Why Poorly Managed Buildings Cost Tenants More
Poor building management rarely shows up as a single big failure. Instead, the cost is death by a thousand cuts—small, avoidable issues that quietly add up over time.
Poorly managed buildings typically lead to:
- Higher operating costs through reactive maintenance, inefficient plant, and unmanaged energy use
- More disruptions from breakdowns, after-hours callouts, and emergency works
- Compliance risk that can expose tenants to operational disruption, audits, or reputational damage
- Lower staff satisfaction and productivity due to comfort complaints, safety concerns, and unreliable services
- Hidden tenancy costs where inefficiency is passed through via outgoings
In contrast, buildings with strong systems, accurate records, and disciplined facility management tend to:
- Plan maintenance instead of reacting to failures
- Reduce whole-of-life costs of building services
- Deliver consistent comfort, safety, and reliability
- Protect tenants from unnecessary risk and cost escalation
The questions outlined above help you identify which side of that line a building sits on—before you sign a long-term lease.
The Point of These Questions
At their core, these questions are really asking one thing:
Does this building have systems?
More specifically:
- Is there a clear business plan for the building?
- Are there documented policies and procedures?
- Are those systems actively used—not just filed away?
Buildings that are well-managed operationally tend to deliver better tenant experiences, lower long-term risk, and greater confidence that your business has found a stable, professional long-term home.