CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Over the years, there has been increasing abandonment of houses and infrastructural facilities in Niger central Senatorial District which has led to the dilapidation, degradation and deterioration of buildings and infrastructural structures. Recently there has been a lot of research investigations and analyse which points unshakably to the fact that certain factors such as client’s perception, cost of maintenance works, unskilled maintenance technicians, lack of Building Maintenance policy, Government legislations not being properly enacted, inability to prepare and follow maintenance schedules are direct causes of neglect which lead to dilapidations and deterioration of building structures, Draft National Building Maintenance Policy (2011).
There are also the remote causes of lack of maintenance such as force majeure, cultural problems, state of the economy, the receding global economic meltdown, lack of time and general illiteracy of the occupants of the building or structures and users of the facilities.
However, there has also been growth in the significance of building maintenance as a proportion of the output of the construction industry which takes place against a backdrop of mounting pressure on new building activity and a growing awareness of the need to manage the condition of the nation’s building and infrastructure more effectively, Draft National Building Maintenance Policy (2011).
Though, it is still the case that such maintenance activity takes place in a context that does not create a fully integrated approach to managing building performance and thus the full potential of many buildings and infrastructures are never wholly realized. Basically in virtually all the areas of Niger Central Senatorial District, buildings and infrastructural facilities are gradually and systematically decaying, dilapidating and deteriorating with reduced or no degree of maintenance programme and activity.
A lot of research have been done in regard to maintenance and management of low income housing especially controlled tenancy, but little emphasis has been laid to maintenance practice among landlords which is key to the overall management of the houses.
From a normal visual perception in the urban metropolis, it can be noted that majority of the constructed buildings both private and public, road network, water supply systems, sanitary and drainage systems, transmission poles and electricity lines, sign posts and route location posts are deteriorated and badly in need of maintenance. The lack of maintenance of these buildings and infrastructures negatively affects the populace which thus affects the output of the working class, capacity of the populace is thus lost, time value for achievement of goals and objectives minimized, it also causes all forms of ill-health and psychological effects thereby reducing the economic growth of the nation. Therefore, this study will appraise Building Maintenance Practice among Landlords in Niger Central Senatorial District.