Need recommendations for a property management company
Discussion
Chaps,
Cutting a long story short, I own a flat in a block of flats and the management company is going from bad to worse. Latest incident involved a burglary of a flat in our block (the flat above ours), where the burglars got in through the main communal front door. That door has been insecure for some time, and I have been asking the management company to do something about it for the last two months.
To cap it all, the management company have (supposedly) been there since the burglary and "couldn't see anything insecure about it". I have just been there to discover that it has clearly been forced, the lock is physically cracked, and it could be opened by giving it nothing more than a good tug.
The management of the block (or 'blocks' - there are several on the development) is done by a holding company, which appoints a commercial management company to do everything. I am one of the six directors of the holding company, but am not sure what this allows me to do in terms of making changes. I have spoken with one of the other directors (the only other one I would recognise), and he is not keen to do anything about it - he lives in another block, which seems to have had many fewer problems.
Any ideas what my options are? As I see it, the problems are:
1. Getting the other directors to agree that something needs to be done.
2. Finding a better management company to replace the existing one.
I know that management companies have a very poor reputation in general, and hence finding a better one is not going to be that simple in itself. If anyone knows of a management company that they can really recommend, who operates in the East London area, then please do contact me (PM is fine.)
And if anyone has any suggestions for good routes forward then let me know ... on this thread or otherwise.
MODS: I'm not sure whether this should be in The Lounge, Homes Gardens and DIY or Business - please do move it as you see fit, thanks.
Oli.
Cutting a long story short, I own a flat in a block of flats and the management company is going from bad to worse. Latest incident involved a burglary of a flat in our block (the flat above ours), where the burglars got in through the main communal front door. That door has been insecure for some time, and I have been asking the management company to do something about it for the last two months.
To cap it all, the management company have (supposedly) been there since the burglary and "couldn't see anything insecure about it". I have just been there to discover that it has clearly been forced, the lock is physically cracked, and it could be opened by giving it nothing more than a good tug.
The management of the block (or 'blocks' - there are several on the development) is done by a holding company, which appoints a commercial management company to do everything. I am one of the six directors of the holding company, but am not sure what this allows me to do in terms of making changes. I have spoken with one of the other directors (the only other one I would recognise), and he is not keen to do anything about it - he lives in another block, which seems to have had many fewer problems.
Any ideas what my options are? As I see it, the problems are:
1. Getting the other directors to agree that something needs to be done.
2. Finding a better management company to replace the existing one.
I know that management companies have a very poor reputation in general, and hence finding a better one is not going to be that simple in itself. If anyone knows of a management company that they can really recommend, who operates in the East London area, then please do contact me (PM is fine.)
And if anyone has any suggestions for good routes forward then let me know ... on this thread or otherwise.
MODS: I'm not sure whether this should be in The Lounge, Homes Gardens and DIY or Business - please do move it as you see fit, thanks.
Oli.
they are good at normal things, basic maintenance of the place and lifts, tv ariels etc. they are sqift at settling claims against the buildings insurance. i.e. above leaked into below claims with above paying the excess
they are s
t at getting new keys cut, i.e. 4 months. which isn't on.
they are s
t at getting new keys cut, i.e. 4 months. which isn't on. I also own the leasehold of a flat within a block of flats, and as a leaseholder I am a Director of the holding company, that employs a Property Management Company (hereafter PMC) to manage both the maintenance and administration of the block of flats.
Firstly, the OP has to overcome two problems, the first one being that the management company believe they have a license to make a killing money, the second problem being that your fellow leaseholders/directors have no enthusiasm, interest in getting involved in the day to day management of the block of flats. This obvious lack of interest, and involvement by leaseholders, not only encourages poor management, but also fraudulent and false accounting by PMC.
I have known of PMC setting up their own maintenance companies, creating false invoices for works either not required, but also not carried out, over pricing, false accounting etc. etc.
You, the OP has a Director, together with the other Directors, employ the PMC, and as any other employee, supplier, with a majority decision from your fellow Directors, can sack, remove, dissolve the services of the present PMC, and appoint, again through a majority decision, a new company to take over the property management.
There is legislation in place that restricts the amount of monies a PMC can spend on any one repair works, the legislation falls under a Section 20 procedure Notice, that involves any expenditure of 250.00 per leaseholder, requires both the leaseholder/directors being informs of the works, with again a majority decision, approval from the leaseholder/directors must be given, before the money can be spent.
Any leaseholder, director not interested in getting involved, needs to have pointed out to them, that the PMC have at present an open cheque book, and when they come to sale their flat/s, a buyers survey of the block, together with a huge debt the PMC has created, could prevent that sale taking place.
Lastly, we use http://www.hmlandertons.com/ to manage our block, and by visiting the following site, you can not only obtain further advice, but also through their Tribunal service, read some real horror stories.
http://www.lease-advice.org/default2.asp
Firstly, the OP has to overcome two problems, the first one being that the management company believe they have a license to make a killing money, the second problem being that your fellow leaseholders/directors have no enthusiasm, interest in getting involved in the day to day management of the block of flats. This obvious lack of interest, and involvement by leaseholders, not only encourages poor management, but also fraudulent and false accounting by PMC.
I have known of PMC setting up their own maintenance companies, creating false invoices for works either not required, but also not carried out, over pricing, false accounting etc. etc.
You, the OP has a Director, together with the other Directors, employ the PMC, and as any other employee, supplier, with a majority decision from your fellow Directors, can sack, remove, dissolve the services of the present PMC, and appoint, again through a majority decision, a new company to take over the property management.
There is legislation in place that restricts the amount of monies a PMC can spend on any one repair works, the legislation falls under a Section 20 procedure Notice, that involves any expenditure of 250.00 per leaseholder, requires both the leaseholder/directors being informs of the works, with again a majority decision, approval from the leaseholder/directors must be given, before the money can be spent.
Any leaseholder, director not interested in getting involved, needs to have pointed out to them, that the PMC have at present an open cheque book, and when they come to sale their flat/s, a buyers survey of the block, together with a huge debt the PMC has created, could prevent that sale taking place.
Lastly, we use http://www.hmlandertons.com/ to manage our block, and by visiting the following site, you can not only obtain further advice, but also through their Tribunal service, read some real horror stories.
http://www.lease-advice.org/default2.asp
anonymous said:
[redacted]
THIS Also known as Solitaire, OM Property Management etc
http://www.thetruthaboutsolitaire.co.uk/
Wings said:
Lastly, we use http://www.hmlandertons.com/ to manage our block
Would you recommend them?These are just the tip of the iceberg, and the lack of interest and the committed involvement of leaseholders as created, allowed these situations to take place.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/04/proper...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/consumer_advice/late...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/03/proper...
http://whatconsumer.co.uk/forum/consumer-rights-te...
http://www.thetruthaboutsolitaire.co.uk/2009/04/20...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/04/proper...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/consumer_advice/late...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/03/proper...
http://whatconsumer.co.uk/forum/consumer-rights-te...
http://www.thetruthaboutsolitaire.co.uk/2009/04/20...
JulianHJ said:
Would you recommend them?
No, for invariably Property Management Companies are only as bad as the leaseholders will allow them to be. Leaseholders, particularly those who don’t get involved with the management of their flats, have as much to answer, as do the bad, fraudulent, dishonest Property Management Companies do. Happy82 said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
THIS Also known as Solitaire, OM Property Management etc
http://www.thetruthaboutsolitaire.co.uk/
IIRC they have about 100 company names, so do your research. Barge poles just arn't long enough.
Go to ARMA (Association Residential Managing Agents) who FWIW are the governing body of managing agents and can advise the best and most reputable ones to deal with your area.
Block management is a very difficult and low paid job which is why it tends to be done poorly. Good luck
Block management is a very difficult and low paid job which is why it tends to be done poorly. Good luck
Edited by jimmyjam on Monday 24th October 09:25
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