Every notice should cover
- What happened, in plain words, without guessing at the cause or fault.
- Which floors, suites and common areas are affected.
- Any safety instructions: areas closed, elevators out of service, power or water shut off.
- What the building is doing now and what tenants can expect next.
- What tenants should do: report new water, protect their equipment, notify their own insurer.
- Who to contact with questions, and how.
- When the next update will be sent.
Who gets which notice
- Audience
- Tenants with direct damage
- Timing
- As soon as the source is controlled, then daily
- Focus
- Access to their suite, protecting property, their own insurer, schedule
- Audience
- Tenants on adjacent floors
- Timing
- Same day
- Focus
- Watch for drips or odor, report anything new, expected noise
- Audience
- All other tenants
- Timing
- Same day or next morning
- Focus
- Closed areas, elevator status, contractor activity, after-hours work
- Audience
- Residential owners or occupants, if mixed-use
- Timing
- Same day
- Focus
- Water shutoffs, access to units, the association's role
- Audience
- Building staff and vendors
- Timing
- Immediately
- Focus
- Roles, access rules, who is in charge
Practical tips
Send notices by more than one channel. Email reaches office managers, but posted signs at elevator lobbies and building entrances reach visitors, couriers and staff who never see the email. For a long project, a single web page or shared document that is updated daily can replace a stream of messages.
Ask each affected tenant to name one contact for the duration of the work. That person relays information inside their company and is the one the restoration contractor coordinates with for suite access.
Keep copies of every notice with the date and time sent. They become part of the loss file and help show that tenants were told what they needed to know, when they needed to know it.
Finally, close the loop. When work in an area is complete, send a short final notice saying so, listing anything still outstanding, and inviting tenants to report any issue that remains.
Common questions
Should notices mention the restoration contractor by name?
It can help tenants recognize workers and equipment in the building. Include who to contact with questions, but route decisions about suite access through the property manager.
What if a tenant asks for the moisture readings in its space?
Sharing data about a tenant's own suite is usually reasonable and builds trust. Check with the owner first if the loss involves a dispute or a claim against another party.
General information for Downtown Denver, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.