"All-in maintenance" contracts: bargain or ball and chain?

They offer to take everything off your hands for X euros a month: plumbing, electrics, small repairs included. Is it worth it?

What they are

Retainer contracts: a fixed monthly fee covering preventive maintenance and (depending on the plan) small repairs with labour included, materials separate, plus an emergency phone line.

When they add up

• Communities where nobody has the time: the real value is not having to find a tradesperson every time.
• Buildings with frequent small incidents (lots of common installations, middle-aged).
• If they include 24-hour emergencies with an agreed response time: bought separately, that is expensive.

When they duplicate

• Small communities with four to six incidents a year: you pay twelve months for four uses — a trusted tradesperson on demand comes out cheaper.
• If you already pay for specific maintenance contracts (lift, fire protection, garden): check for overlaps.

The clauses to watch

• What exactly counts as a "small repair" (hours included per visit, materials, how many visits a year).
• Minimum term and automatic renewal (ask for an exit with 30 days' notice).
• Emergencies: a response time committed in writing.

The sum that decides it

Add up what you have spent over two or three years on the items the contract would cover, and compare. A good retainer is reasonable peace-of-mind insurance; a bad one is paying in advance for breakdowns you will not have. YOUR building's numbers (if you keep records) answer on their own.