At The Elevator Consultants, we’ve seen it all—from squeaky doors to multi-million-dollar modernization projects. But few cases illustrate the importance of active involvement from building owners and managers as clearly as one recent audit at a property in Pennsylvania.
The client called us in to audit a single elevator. The building had six elevators sharing one machine room, but to save money, the owner opted to assess only one the one that had already been out of service for nearly two years. We explained the economies of scale involved in auditing all six efficiency, better data, and long-term savings but they were set on limiting the scope.
That decision, in itself, was a red flag.
When we arrived onsite, the elevator in question was locked out, disconnected but not properly tagged out a violation of safety protocol. The equipment showed severe signs of neglect: a missing drive, melted wiring, smoke damage, and obsolete components. Our audit, based on visual inspection and what limited data we could access, revealed that the system had likely failed due to compounded issues including overheating, aging components, and lack of consistent maintenance.
But the biggest problem wasn’t the elevator.
It was the complete lack of documentation.
There were no maintenance logs. No testing records. No history of callbacks or repairs just anecdotal information from staff who were no longer on-site. The client repeatedly asked us to place blame on their elevator service provider. While we’re not in the business of shielding poor service providers, we also can’t issue professional conclusions without records. The building also tried to get the records from the elevator service provider and they wouldn’t pride them to them. This is extremely disheartening because the elevator service providers should give them the records however in some cases, they may not even have the records for numerous reasons. The elevator service provider may not have service the elevator for years which is very common if the building is not watching when their elevator is being serviced and they may have just been receiving callback or break fix maintenance and it was just simply not recorded. This leaves the building in a very bad situation.
Elevator oversight is not a set-it-and-forget-it service. It’s a partnership and that partnership only works when both sides hold up their responsibilities.
Elevators Are Assets, Not Afterthoughts
Elevators are among the most expensive and essential systems in any commercial building. Yet too often, they’re ignored until something goes wrong. The building in question had spent nearly two years without one of its elevators functioning, and in that time, did little to track or manage the problem. That’s like owning a high performance car, never changing the oil, and expecting it to run perfectly after being idle for two years.
Even worse, when asked who was responsible, the assumption was that the elevator service company was entirely to blame. This could be the case but this is not always the best approach.
The elevator service provider is responsible for performing scheduled elevator maintenance and elevator repairs when there is a contract in place but the building ownership is responsible for coordinating access, maintaining code compliance, and keeping proper records. We can confidently say that most building owners and property managers have no idea that it is their responsibility per code to keep all elevator maintenance records. They simply have no idea not from being ignorant but they truly have no idea that this is their responsibility. Without documentation, there is no accountability. And without accountability, your elevators will become liabilities.
The Hidden Costs of Inaction
Neglecting your role as a building owner or property manager leads to a cycle of expensive consequences like costly repairs, repeated service calls, increased downtime, and premature modernization. In this case, the estimated cost to modernize the failed elevator is between $450,000 and $550,000. That’s not just sticker shock; it’s the penalty for passive management. The building should have immediately started documenting everything as soon as they are having issues with the elevator. They can put all the information in an email and send it to the service provider, they can keep logs, they can take pictures, there are several things’ buildings can do. They can even use an elevator maintenance tracking software called the ElevatorApp.
Imagine if the building had maintained proper logs, tracked issues as they arose, and taken action early. A $15,000 repair caught in time might have prevented a half-million-dollar overhaul. And this isn’t the end because this elevator shares a machine room with six other elevators if you make changes to this one elevator you have to bring all the other elevators up to code. This is well over a $1,000,000 project for such a small task which could have avoided this. Another thing that The Elevator Consultants may not have been aware of during the onsite since the inspection records were not in sight this unit could have failed inspection and the building needs to modernize it to avoid future fines from the Authority having jurisdiction.
Old Doesn’t Always Mean Obsolete—Neglected Does
Age isn’t the enemy. Lack of care is. Just like an older car can keep running beautifully with the right upkeep, older elevators can remain reliable if actively maintained. Even with obsolete components, if a system is documented, serviced regularly, and managed collaboratively, it can stay safe and operational far longer than you’d think.
But when no one’s watching when logs are missing, maintenance is ignored, and test dates go unnoticed small problems can become catastrophic failures.
Elevator Management Is a Team Effort
If your elevator is down, and no one knows when or why, you’ve lost more than time you’ve lost control of your asset. That’s why we always stress: buildings must stay involved. Regular elevator audits or elevator assessments, thorough documentation, service reviews, and an
informed understanding of your elevator service contract aren’t just best practices they’re safeguards against overspending, legal exposure, and frustrated tenants.
This is not about shifting blame. It’s about shared accountability.
The best outcomes happen when building owners and elevator service providers work together. When communication is open. When records are complete. When audits are proactive. That’s how elevators stay safe, compliant, and cost-effective.
If you own or manage a building with elevators, don’t wait until you’re facing a $500K to over $1M modernization bill. Start managing your elevators like the valuable infrastructure assets they are.
You’ll thank yourself later.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do building owners need to keep elevator records if they hire a service provider? Because it’s required by code and crucial for accountability. Maintenance logs, testing results, repairs, and callback records help verify service delivery, assess repair needs, and ensure code compliance. Without these, it’s impossible to evaluate elevator performance or assign responsibility.
What’s the risk of only auditing one elevator when multiple share an elevator machine room? Elevators in the same machine room often experience similar conditions, usage patterns, and systemic wear. Auditing just one gives you an incomplete and potentially misleading picture. It’s more cost-effective and informative to assess the group. Plus auditing the entire bank of elevators in that machine room gives you a fuller picture of the elevators and potentially give the building some value engineering opportunities.
What happens if an elevator is locked out without being tagged out? That violates safety protocols and can put both technicians and building personnel at risk.
Isn’t the elevator service company responsible for making sure everything works? Only partially. Elevator service providers are responsible for maintaining and repairing equipment, but building owners must provide access, retain documentation, verify compliance, and authorize necessary work. It’s a collaborative process. The elevator maintenance service companies are required to follow the contract they have with the building. The contract may only require the elevator service company to be on site systematically and periodically at the elevator company’s own discretion. You can only imagine what this means about the elevator service that the building is receiving.
Can older elevators still perform well, or is modernization inevitable? Older elevators can remain reliable and safe if maintained properly. Modernization may be necessary eventually, but attentive ownership, timely repairs, and accurate documentation can extend an elevator’s useful life significantly.