Harmonizing the complexities of room rental agreement month to month and the collaborative requirements of international construction projects . . . Incorporating the value of understanding and setting up a working agreement
International projects create a demanding series of expectations – from the prime contractors and the subcontractors on down the line. While the project is not essentially “homeless,” it often takes time to assemble a consortium of construction professionals from around the world to create the flexibility and responsiveness demands of an international project. However, some of the expectations are clearly out of the control of the lead project manager.
One of those is the availability of adequate accommodations for the workers and the family of the worker who have been involved in the project from the beginning. When the project includes a group of individuals from multiple countries and a consortium of construction trades and artisans, the problems faced by an individual who was born and raised in one of those countries can be magnified. The expectations of the workspace of an individual are not something which can be assumed or predicted, at least, not one-hundred percent of the time.
The concept of a month to month room rental agreement has become the ultimate stop gap solution to the problem of finding the right balance for the worker, the family, the project and the timeline. It allows the workers to come and go as they see fit while maintaining a home-away-from-home base. It gives them the convenience and capacity to leave an unfit property and move into one that is more appropriate – if the one they selected becomes unsuitable.
While most of the individuals leaving their country of birth for a distant project or a long-term contract do so with the expectation they will be able to move their family or live out of a suitcase when they return home for months-on-end, there is no precise method to determining how those ideas might change once they are implemented.
The rental agreement gives them the choice to proceed on their own, should that become necessary. It also provides the ability to lease/purchase a home in the area, should they make that decision before, during or after their arrival.
Leveraging the legal understanding of furlough agreements lends itself well to providing a point-of-reference to help coordinate the various requirements of a project of any scope, including the principles of employing short-term rentals or month to month room rental agreements to support the project when the timeline is defined and limited.
It is not uncommon for many of the construction professionals who participate in an international project contract to make sacrifices in their personal commitments, their social lives and their willingness to take on the challenge of a trip to distant locations on a moment’s notice. However, in order to make that happen, it is often necessary for them to face the relocation challenge that a project creates. The difficulties associated with living out of a suitcase and the demands of daily work that require new accommodations every few days or weeks. The complexities of coordinating hotel rooms and travel were simply overwhelming for years.
The hiring principle of the professionals involved in the project may limit what hotels are available in certain locations. The state of local infrastructure may deny access to premium travel options, leaving the travelers less than satisfied with their transportation and their location. They are forced to move to a lower-class hotel or onto another less desirable property or suite.
However, without a clear understanding of the cost and time limits imposed by a list of formal contracts, it is easy for the project manager to find themselves caught between the workers and the construction hierarchy, facing challenges which could be avoided by recognizing the renter’s rights and establishing an agreement against a backdrop of existing legal precedents.
For more information on rental agreements and tenant rights, you can visit Nolo.
