Why Resident Directors Deserve Better Tech and a Seat at the Table
Key Points
- The invisible workload of directors is real, and often grows year on year
- Outdated systems keep us reacting to crises, not learning or preventing them
- The information we need for the building's whole lifetime is easily lost
- Real tech for resident directors respects our time, energy and future planning
The Everyday Reality of Being a Resident Director
In my earlier post, I shared what it was like stepping up as a resident director—hoping to make a difference, quickly feeling overwhelmed. The same problems kept coming back: no training, no clear manual, endless chasing for information and rushed decisions with too few facts. Other directors I've met tell the same story. Our skills and time are stretched, especially when dealing with managing agents whose systems date back decades.
But there's something else at play, and it's about more than just today's headaches. The records and knowledge directors try to keep aren't only for sorting out the yearly accounts or the next round of repairs. They're about the lifetime of the building. A quiet leak, a maintenance shortcut, or a question about cladding from five years ago can turn into a major issue for the next set of directors—or for the whole block. If we can't connect the dots across the years, we're setting ourselves up for trouble.
Why Are We Always Playing Catch-Up?
Too often, everything directors deal with is completely reactive. I've seen it first-hand, and plenty of people I talk to say the same: about 70% of the issues that land with us are unexpected, urgent, and take ages to untangle. With the old tech, you end up firefighting instead of planning. There's no way to spot patterns, or get clarity on what's coming round the corner.
The time directors have is precious. We shouldn't be stuck searching emails or relying on memory to keep the place running. If we had proper digital tools built for us, we could collect and join up information over the years. That helps spot little issues before they become big ones—and means time can be spent stopping problems, not fixing them after they've hit.
Building for the Future, Not Just This Year
It's not just the directors feeling the stress. Residents want to know that their homes are safe and their money is spent wisely. Most of us want to plan ahead, improve our communities and prevent hassle before it starts. That's why the tech built for blocks—and especially for directors—should be designed for the long term, to keep information safe, insights growing, and everyone in the loop.
How Blocwise Fits In
Blocwise started for a reason: I was tired of never having the right record or history at hand, tired of the same confusion every year and the same frantic rush to solve problems that might have been avoided. It exists for directors who want control, clarity, and calm. The goal is simple—to make it easy to do the right thing for our buildings, not just today but for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a resident director do?
A resident director represents everyone in the building, acts as a link between residents and managing agents, and makes decisions spanning finance, repairs and daily block life.
Why do issues keep cropping up year after year?
Because proper building records and patterns are rarely captured or passed on, making it easy to miss recurring problems or fail to plan for future risks.
How can technology help directors and residents?
A genuinely modern system gathers all the vital building info in one place, makes it easy to spot trends or recurring issues, and frees up directors to focus on planning, not just troubleshooting.
If you're a resident director who has faced any of these frustrations, you are not alone. Blocwise is here to help you take charge, protect your time, and make your building work better for everyone—now and in the future.