SLA response and resolution times in FM contracts
Most disputes between FM companies and their clients are not about whether work was done. They are about when: when the request was made, when the technician arrived, and whether the job was really finished. A well-written SLA settles those questions before they arise. This guide explains how to set response and resolution times that hold up in practice, with the Saudi working calendar in mind.
Three clocks, not one
A single "response time" is not enough to manage a maintenance contract. Most well-run contracts track three separate clocks per request:
- Response: the request is acknowledged and assigned to someone responsible.
- Attendance: a technician is on site.
- Resolution: the fault is fixed and the fix is confirmed.
They fail for different reasons. A missed response usually means the help desk or dispatch is overloaded. A missed attendance usually means not enough technicians, or too much travel. A missed resolution usually means parts, approvals or the wrong trade. Measuring all three tells you which problem to fix.
Define the priorities before the numbers
The most common mistake is agreeing times for "P1" and "P2" without agreeing what they mean. Write a definition and examples for each level:
| Priority | Meaning | Examples | Response | Attendance | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 Emergency | Danger to people or property, or a whole building affected | Fire alarm fault, flooding, power loss to a floor, trapped lift | 15 min | 1 hour | 4 hours (make safe) |
| P2 Urgent | Serious loss of use for a tenant or area | No cooling in an occupied office in summer, major leak | 1 hour | 4 hours | 24 hours |
| P3 Routine | Normal faults that can wait for a planned visit | Dripping tap, broken light fitting, door closer | 4 working hours | 2 working days | 5 working days |
| P4 Planned | Improvements and non-urgent requests | Painting, signage, minor works | 1 working day | By agreement | By agreement |
These figures are an example starting point, not a standard. No national or ISO standard sets them; they should come from the risk at each site, the hours it operates and the size of your team. Hospitals and data centres usually tighten P1; a residential compound may loosen P3.
Clock rules that prevent disputes
The numbers matter less than the rules for when each clock runs. Write these into the contract:
- Start: the clock starts when the request is logged, by whatever channel, not when a technician is dispatched.
- Hours: state whether each priority runs on a 24-hour clock or on working hours only. P1 is normally 24/7; P3 and P4 normally count working hours.
- The Saudi calendar: define working days (usually Sunday to Thursday), whether Eid holidays and national days count, and the shorter working day during Ramadan. A clock that ignores Ramadan hours will show breaches that never happened.
- Pauses: the clock pauses only for reasons outside the provider's control that are agreed in advance, such as no access to the unit, or waiting for the client to approve a quote. Record when each pause starts and ends.
- Stop: resolution is complete when the work is done and confirmed, by the client, the help desk or a sign-off on site, not when the technician says so.
Flow the SLA down to your subcontractors
If you subcontract trades such as lifts, HVAC or fire systems, your client's SLA only holds if your subcontractors have a shorter one. Give each subcontractor a resolve time inside your own, so there is margin to escalate when they slip. Our guide to managing maintenance subcontractors covers how to do this without chasing them by phone.
Reporting and penalties
Report SLA performance monthly as the percentage of requests within target, per priority and per clock, with the list of breaches and their reasons. If the contract has penalties, cap them and tie them to repeated breaches rather than single incidents; the aim is to keep the service on track, not to collect deductions. ISO 41001, the international standard for facility management systems, expects exactly this kind of measured, continually improved service between the client and the provider.
How a CAFM enforces the SLA
Tracking three clocks per job across many clients by hand is where spreadsheets break. Mubaney runs response, attendance and resolution clocks on every ticket, with targets set per client and per priority, a working calendar that knows the Saudi week, Eid and Ramadan hours, and the Hijri calendar. Technicians stamp their own arrival on site, photos and sign-off are attached to the job, and breaches are flagged as they happen rather than discovered at month end. For the bigger picture, see what a CAFM system is.
FAQ
What is the difference between response time and resolution time?
Response time measures how quickly a request is acknowledged or attended. Resolution time measures how quickly the fault is fixed and the fix confirmed. A provider can meet one and miss the other, so a contract should set and measure both.
Should SLA clocks count Ramadan and Eid?
The contract should say. A common approach is that emergency (P1) clocks run around the clock, while routine clocks count working hours only, using the shorter Ramadan working day and excluding agreed holidays. Without that rule, routine jobs will appear to breach during Ramadan.
When should the SLA clock pause?
Only for reasons outside the provider's control that are listed in the contract, such as no access to the unit or waiting for the client's approval of a quote. Each pause should be recorded with its start, end and reason, so it can be checked later.
What are typical response times for FM emergencies?
There is no single standard. Many contracts set emergency response within 15 to 60 minutes and attendance within one to two hours, with the site made safe within a few hours. The right figures depend on the site's risk and the provider's coverage.
How do I prove SLA compliance when a client disputes it?
With a time-stamped record for each clock: when the request was logged, when the technician arrived, and when the work was signed off, with photos. A system that records these automatically settles most disputes in minutes.