Operating real estate is similar to every other business in one important respect： keeping the customer satisfied. It is true that a tenant signed to a fixed term cannot walk away from the property if he/she is poorly served， as can the customer in a department store. But every lease eventually comes up for renewal， and a high turnover can be a major operation expense. Furthermore， a building with a reputation for dissatisfied tenants will suffer in the marketplace.
In dealing with complaints from tenants， the property manager should be quick to cure deficiencies in services to which tenants are entitled. At the same time， one tenant should not be given favored treatment； other tenant will inevitably demand the same. The property manager must also use good judgment in enforcing the rules and regulations of the building（which often are incorporated into each lease）。 These rules and regulations can be quite detailed， particularly in the case of an interrelated operation like a shopping center. For example， the rules may specify whether a tenant is permitted to distribute handbills to shoppers， how loud music can be played by a record store， and how late stores must be open at certain times of the year like Christmas. Rules exist to minimize disputes among tenants as well as to maximize total shopping center sales for all tenants （and so increase percentage rents payable to the landlord）。 Deciding how strictly to enforce the rules is one of the most difficult jobs of the property manager. Authority， fairness， and diplomacy are all demanded by the work.
Establishing maintenance schedules
Maintenance schedules specify the timing and amount of custodial services like cleaning common areas （as well as leased space when called for by the lease agreement）， picking up garbage， removing snow and ice， and keeping up the parking area. Maintenance also includes making sure the building's operating systems are always functional. Tenants take for granted （rightly）
their heating， ventilating and air conditioning， plumbing， and electrical service. The building manager is paid to take responsibility for keeping these systems running. In a larger property， one or more engineers may be permanently on the premises to look after mechanical equipment. In many buildings maintenance contracts are set up for heating and air conditioning equipment. Besides maintenance， the property manager is also responsible for inventory control， to ensure that cleaning supplies and other necessary items are on hand when needed. （In some establishments like hotels， inventory control is a highly specialized function that includes food and liquor.）
Useful Expressions
be similar to 与……相似
walk away from 从……处离开
come up 提出，发生
pick up 捡起，拿起
keep up 继续下去，不停止
make sure 确保
take…for granted 认为……理当如此，想当然
take responsibility for负责，承担责任
look after 照料，看护
set up 安排，组织，建立
on hand 现有，在手头，在手边
Notes
1. Operating real estate is similar to every other business in one important respect： keeping the customer satisfied.
keeping the customer satisfied作in one important respect的同位语。
2. It is true that a tenant signed to a fixed term cannot walk away from the property if he/she is poorly served. As can the customer in a department store.
过去分词短语signed to a fixed term修饰tenant， 意为“签约了一个固定租期的租户”。
as 作连词，意为“像……一样”，as引导的从句承接前示从句，且主谓倒装了。例如：
Paul plays violin， as does her mother.
3. In dealing with complaints from tenants， the property manager should be quick to cure deficiencies in services to which tenants are entitled. Which作介词to的宾语，先行词是services， 该词由定语从句to which tenants are entitled修饰。
4. At the same time， one tenant should not be given favored treatment；other tenants will inevitably demand the same. favored treatment 意为“优待”。the same 代替 favored treatment.
5. …the rules may specify whether a tenant is permitted…， how loud music can be played…and how late stores must be…
在此句中，由连词whether和疑问副词how引导的三个名词从句作specify的宾语，该结构在英语中使用较为普遍，它们可充当句子的主语、宾语、补误和同位语。例如：
What he did is not yet known. （主语）他作了什么无人知晓。
I don't know whether he aggress with you. （宾语）我不知道他是否同意你的观点。
He has made the company what it is today. （补语）他把公司发展成了今天的样子。
at certain times of the year like Christmas 一年里的某些时候如圣诞节。
6. Rules exist to minimize disputes among tenants as well as to maximize total shopping center sales for all tenants…
此句中两个并列的不定式短语to minimize…和as well as to maximize 作目的状语，可译为：不仅使整个购物中心的所有企业销售额最大程度地增加，而且使租户间的纠纷减低到最低限度。
7. Deciding how strictly to enforce the rules is one of the most difficult jobs of the property manager.
在此句中，deciding后面由疑问副词引导一个不定式短语作decide的宾语，这是一个常用的句型：疑问代词+动词不定式，称作不定式的复合结构，它在句中可作主语、表语及宾语。
The secretary will tell you how to fill in the form. （宾语）秘书将告诉你怎样填表。
The problem is where to go for the outing. （表语）问题是去哪儿游玩。
How to do it depends on you. （主语）如何做取决于你自己。
8. Tenants take for granted （rightly） their heating， ventilating and air conditioning， plumbing， and electrical service.
该句中，granted 后面所跟的词，如：heating， ventilating， …service应放在granted之前，它们作宾语，因为这个宾语列举的词过多，所以后置。
take fro granted常用take it for granted that的结构，it作形式宾语，真正的宾语为that引导的从句。例如：
we take it for granted that they would consent.我们想当然地认为他们会同意。
9. Besides maintenance， the property manager is also responsible for inventory control， to ensure that cleaning supplies and other necessary items are on hand when needed.
Inventory control用品控制
动词不定式to ensure…作目的状语，其中when needed中省略主语cleaning supplies and other necessary items和助动词are.