Housing estate management

fatcats

Dont know about you but is the comment from bazaar for real!!!! On every website/forum I have ever visited or looked at there appears to be an entry from Bazaar complaining about everything that might involve payment of monies to others and also encouraging other people not to pay invoices. I am hoping that reasonably intelligent people would not take notice of such a "bizarre" suggestion.
Regarding Meadfleet I live on one of their developments and have never had any problems with either the works they carry out or indeed their invoices. I did after all enter into a contract with them when I purchased my property and knew what I would be paying for. Is it now sour grapes on some peoples part that despite their entering into a contract they now feel that they have hoodwinked. People who pay their bills ultimately end up supporting those who do not - IS THAT FAIR!!!

Spylass

With regard to Meadfleet they have just sent me invoices dating back from February 2009. I find it incredible that they haven't even given me a breakdown of the works they have done in that time; and yet they are charging a total of £75 for admin costs.

bazaar_2

fatcats wrote: »

Dont know about you but is the comment from bazaar for real!!!! On every website/forum I have ever visited or looked at there appears to be an entry from Bazaar complaining about everything that might involve payment of monies to others and also encouraging other people not to pay invoices. I am hoping that reasonably intelligent people would not take notice of such a "bizarre" suggestion.
Regarding Meadfleet I live on one of their developments and have never had any problems with either the works they carry out or indeed their invoices. I did after all enter into a contract with them when I purchased my property and knew what I would be paying for. Is it now sour grapes on some peoples part that despite their entering into a contract they now feel that they have hoodwinked. People who pay their bills ultimately end up supporting those who do not - IS THAT FAIR!!!

No it is for real, if youve had good service from Meadfleet, then you are lucky or deluded. The Deed of Covenant is very ambiguous in the way of any remedy for the customer. Ive been in touch with TS and they suggested making a payment of what I thought would represent the work carried out. Meadfleet have not acknowledged anything, so is that reasonable or not? If the account is in dispute because they failed to work on something that was paid for and failed to provide full and detailed invoices, they have breached the Deed, simple as that.No sour grapes matey I just want resolution and to get what I paid for.

disney_cjd

they are a complete shower... they come to see you promise A B and C and then deliver nothing and ignore chasers.

AVOID.

sx_kyd

Er....having read through these posts, I am inclined (as a Meadfleet 'client') to agree with Fatcats. Where I live, there are always people having a whinge that Meadfleet do not do this and do not do that, most of the time it is to do with land ( in all probability peoples own front gardens) which Meadfleet are not supposed to look after.
One common thread is that the developer sales people do not properly explain who is responsible for the various bits and pieces of the estate. After a couple of years Meadfleet have sent out a plan with the invoice showing what areas they are supposed to manage. Shame that they didnt do it earlier and they might have saved themselves a lot of bother. Mind you there are still people here who refuse to believe the plan.....a bit of a case of not admitting that they are wrong.
The one criticism that I do have is that they have stopped charging for the 'sinking fund' and they will not say why....I would rather pay something along the way than pick up a big bill later on.

chris_m

sx_kyd wrote: »

The one criticism that I do have is that they have stopped charging for the 'sinking fund' and they will not say why....I would rather pay something along the way than pick up a big bill later on.

Do you get to see accounts for the sinking fund? Maybe it's already overfunded or they consider that it is sufficiently funded for anything that they might foresee requiring it.

vivatifosi

chris_m wrote: »

Do you get to see accounts for the sinking fund? Maybe it's already overfunded or they consider that it is sufficiently funded for anything that they might foresee requiring it.

That's my thought too. I am a director of the management company where I live. This is the company owned jointly by the householders, not the agency that is used to manage it.

We ensure that every household receives a full copy of the accounts and are bound by the Mem and Arts of the company (though no longer by the Companies Act) to hold an AGM once a year where people can come and air their grievances. The company has to let people know that this is happening and give at least two weeks notice.

Our current managing agents are fantastic, but we have changed them in the past. If the agency is not working out for you, you probably can change them (I don't know the specifics of where you live so can't say for sure).

However I also agree with some of the things others have said. We need to take down trees from time to time. We can't always replant. This is never because a tree is too near one of our properties but could be for a whole host of other reasons - for example the roots could be penetrating the drainage system, or the leaves from the tree could be blocking the drains and causing flooding.

In terms of the sinking fund, we had a survey done of our estate and asked our surveyor how much to sink, so we have a target for that. It may be that they have the funds that they need for now. Again, it should be possible to see what they have put aside for the sinking fund in the accounts.

You can find out who the directors are of the residents management company from Companies House for a small fee (something like £1 IIRC).

bazaar_2

Strange that the 2 visitors with only 1 post each, love Meadfleet. Are they possibly going for Employee of the Month?

sx_kyd

Just looking to see if there were any comments / updates on Meadfleet.....interesting comment from Bazaar.
On the few 'blog' sites I suscribe to, by far the biggest entries are from those who like to take pop at companies / services / products or whatever.....there are very very few who take the time to praise. Surely it is a good thing to highlight matters which are of benefit to consumers as well as bad.
For those who have commented on the Meadfleet subject, from what I have read there are some constructive and balanced comments which cannot be described as 'in love with', or indeed heaped with praise.
Apologies to any forum administrators who consider that I have gone 'off topic'.

BusbyBabe

bazaar wrote: »

Strange that the 2 visitors with only 1 post each, love Meadfleet. Are they possibly going for Employee of the Month?

Almost certainly! If you are having trouble with Meadfleet and you live on an estate developed by Bellway homes you might like to investigate the incestuous links between these two companies.