Maintenance Practice and Occupant’s Satisfaction in Public Housing Estates: An Osobgo, Nigeria Perspective

Abstract

The paper appraises the maintenance practice and residents' satisfaction of public housing estates in Osogbo, Nigeria with a view to encouraging best practices and adequate maintenance strategies in a proposition to preserving the existing housing stock and enhanced maintenance of public estates in the study area. One Hundred and Five (105) questionnaires were distributed among the residents of two (2) residential estates and 97 questionnaires were retrieved, representing 92.40%. Opinion of the Estate Surveyors and Valuers was also sought on the factors affecting maintenance in public housing estate. Analysis was carried out through the use of mean, severity index, cross-tabulation and Chi-Square test of association. It was discovered that there is no statistically significant relationship between maintenance practice and public services alongside infrastructures in the estates. Although, there is a significant relationship between occupants' level of satisfaction with maintenance of public services and infrastructures; the Phi and Cramer's V tests revealed a very weak strength in the association. The paper therefore suggests an integrated maintenance approach for effective upkeep of public estates infrastructures and facilities.