Property Maintenance

Lau4884

I am aware Property maintenance isn't an energy bill, however there isn't an actual forum for it!!

I was wondering if anybody else has ever had problems with their Property Maintenance, I have over £3000 for 2 years and nothing is ever done. I know this pays for electric and insurance and many other items, I just feel that they are making a huge anount of money for not doing anything.

Has anybody tried contesting the huge bills?

Cardew

I owned a leasehold flat in a new development of 140 units in London. Initially we were tied legally to a Management company - by the developer - and they essentially saw us as a 'Gravy Train' to exploit.

Far too many details to discuss here, but we paid unbelievable prices for every service. There was much speculation(but no proof) that some of the service companies had paid 'kickbacks' to the Management company to obtain such lucrative contracts. The management company had no incentive to get better value as they simply added their percentage to whatever they paid out.

We formed a Residents Association and essentially fought the Management Company tooth and nail, being as Bloody minded as we could - blowing up every minor mistake they made into a major confrontation.

We then bought the Freehold as soon as possible and although we were still bound by the Management Company's contract, we just got rid of them on a technicality which they chose not to dispute.

We paid an owner of a flat to act as our Manager and renegotiated all service contracts. IIRC our twice weekly rubbish collection was negotiated with the same firm for under 50% of the previous cost.

So I suspect you need to form a proactive Resident's Association to see if you are getting value for your Service Charge, and if not ACT.

daveyjp

There are huge kickbacks from insurers to management companies which should be put back into the property accounts. Guess where they end up?

OP you are entitled to an audited statement of the property accounts and as leaseholders you are within your rights to question the amounts and ask how contracts were awarded.

Pincher

I think it's more commonly called service charge.
Isn't there a news item recently about services charges?

Leaseholders have the "Right To Manage" themselves.
You need to form a RTM company, which assumes the responsibilities of a management company and take over from, for example, Peverel OM? Provided you have sufficient leaseholders signing up, the freeholder cannot refuse your demand to take over management of the building. It's best to appoint a solicitor to deal with the freeholder.

Volunteers leaseholders can sell up and disappear, so it's best to appoint a firm to do the admin, paying contractors etc. The idea is that leaseholders care enough to turn up to meetings, but you will find so many absent landlords, that your meetings are often not quorate. This is also why it's very hard to form a RTM company in the first place.

pickerte

I asked to see Peverels annual accounts for our complex, I got a frosty reception from the house manager who asked did I think she was fiddling the electric and nobody else wanted to see them.
I then found various charges for the phone / electric were charged at high rates and paid quartly on demand which incurred a payment charge and late payment charge when paid late.
I asked for a meeting with the area manager....I'm still waiting.
July 2010....????

Does this sound a good practice from Peverel aka McCarthy & Stone. :mad:

Davidboy

Hi - we went RTM, Right to Manage, I volunteered as a Director, we are getting things done now, Kicked out Solitaire (thieves), have RMG who are just as bad, just about to kick them out to, We have found a new local Management company who we are going to appoint soon.

Bills we have managed to get down some, but hoping for a lot more yet AND for work to be done that we are paying for. Have now got communal areas redecorated, I KNOW what's in the accounts and where the money is going.

It's all not easy to get done, but worth it.

PM if you want to know more.

Dx