Property glossary
Work order
Also known as: job card, maintenance order
An instruction authorising a contractor or staff member to carry out a specific maintenance or repair task at a property.
Definition
A work order is the formal record that authorises and tracks a maintenance or repair job at a property. It captures what needs doing, where, who is assigned, the approved cost or quote, and the status from logging through to completion and sign-off. Work orders link a reported fault or planned task to the supplier, the spend and the eventual invoice, creating an audit trail for the landlord, trustees or managing agent.
In the South African context
Work orders are an operational tool rather than a statutory requirement, but they support a property practitioner's duty to account for money spent and a body corporate's obligation under the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA, Act 8 of 2011) to maintain the common property. They also help document a landlord's response to repair obligations under the Rental Housing Act 50 of 1999 and any incoming-inspection defects. Proper authorisation thresholds protect trust money and keep spend within the trustees' or landlord's mandate.
Example
A tenant reports a leaking geyser; the agent raises a work order, assigns an approved plumber, captures a R4 200 quote for trustee approval, and on completion attaches the invoice and closes the job for payment from the maintenance budget.
Why it matters
Work orders connect maintenance requests to approvals, suppliers and spend, so they are central to controlling costs, evidencing repairs and reconciling maintenance expenditure against the budget.
Informational only — not legal advice. Confirm specifics against the current Act and your scheme’s rules.
Sources
- STSMA — Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act 8 of 2011 — body corporate duty to maintain and keep common property in good order