Poor Management Company Northleach in Bromley

cashbackproblems

Hi

I currently own a property which is managed by the above management agent and having endless problems getting them to make repairs and upgrades. The block I live in has countless issues with rotting/broken windows (+ wood worm), dirty carpets, walls which are marked, front door which can be pushed open without the security tag, guttering problems and general TLC required. The services charges are also almost 1.5k per year (plus ground rent, sinking fund contributions and ad hoc charges)! From this all we get are a monthly cleaner to hoover the dirty carpets and someone to mow the lawn occasionally.

I have raised these issues numerous times and get ignored and am reading online similar complaints by residents which North Leach manages. I am going to get legal advice but does anyone have any experience of such a situation? Most of the flats are rented in the block so the owners have less incentive and do not care as much as owner-occupied and some I have been told live abroad. Plus tenants appear to come and go frequently (plus Airbnb) so obviously have no incentive to put pressure on the landlord.

Can anyone advise what my rights are and action that can be taken, as it impacts the value of my property, obviously is poor value for money for what I am paying and breach of the contract I signed.

Thanks

need_an_answer

Have you requested the annual accounts for complex?

What does that show in terms of expenditure and funds held for repairs.

Whilst it may appear that only a little gardening and cleaning is carried out the money must be goin=g somewhere.

I have experience of management companies,although to be fair not this one as a director of a smaller complex and often much of the service charges applied to leasholders is taken up with "hidden" charges.these can often be insurances and charges that need to be paid but with little tangible things to show for it.

What does your lease say regarding the upkeep of communal areas?A good lease will stipulate things like windows or decoration needing attention every x years.

It is possible to investigate leaving a management company although it's not something that you as a sole person would be able to instigate easily,I believe you need the backing of a large % of fellow leaseholders to effect a change so it may be more proactive in trying to sort out the company you have dealings with.

is there a named point of contact as your "property manager"
There should be property inspections carried out by the company possibly at least yearly maybe even 6 monthly,find out when the next one is and arrange to introduce yourself as a leaseholder.

It may be they are tardy with their management because they have had no real pointers from leaseholders in the past.
Chase up correspondence with them,they can't ignore you forever,get involved and get them involved.
Escalate your complaints if needed to.Details of how to do that should be documented to all leaseholders.

That's a little how it started with me and now I really do have a voice in how funds are spent and things managed.

cashbackproblems

Thanks for the response, there no details in the contract about how often things like carpets must be changed etc but it does refer to all the communal areas being maintained and repaired when required. In the past when they have had to repair ad hoc things they have charged residents in addition to the SC, I have not seen the annual accounts to where the fees are going, but do know the sinking fund has about 20k+. There is a property manager who I chase but is useless and promises to carry out repairs but then doesn!!!8217;t some which he said would be done 12 months ago. All things needing doing are not major jobs.

As you say no leaseholders have been on their backs due to reasons I gave. Is there no legal action I can take solo e.g. breach of contract, as I still have a contract with them and am paying my individual service charge?

need_an_answer

The problem with legal action is its sometimes protracted and often costly.

In my experience leaseholders fall into a couple of categories,
Those who pay up and shut up
Those who want redress and are vocal with no real other input
and those who will put time and effort into chasing and putting things right.

You need to follow the correct complaints procedure to address the points you have before you can even consider legal action.

another thing to consider when thinking about legal action is that you will essentially be fighting yourself or at least a % of your money will be used to contest you.
As a leaseholder you will be challenging the management company whom you directly pay.

Really the best way to challenge this is to start by getting involved rather than going in all guns blazing over "breech of contract"

just my thoughts but as I said it worked for me in a block of 21 flats with a **** company 2 years ago.
We now have a 10 year plan in place and are in a much better shape going forward.

eddddy

Can you clarify - what contract have you signed?

If you are only a leaseholder, there is no contract to sign - the lease specifies what the freeholder/management co is responsible for.

As a leaseholder, you have the protection of the Landlord and Tenant act - and you can use that to insist that detailed information about the accounts are provided. (If the freeholder/management co fails to provides some types of info, they can be convicted and fined.)


Or have you signed a contract as a member of a management committee or similar - and the committee has hired the management company?

SYH

Totally agree. I have sent numerous email and called twice since Mar. no reply at all. The only way is to replace with the other company. The owners had a meeting last year we were promised a world but nothing has been done so far. Never seen a company providing such a terrible service.

AdrianC

They really should be sending the accounts as a matter of course.

You don't say how big the block is, but I bet £20k in the piggy bank isn't going to go very far with that list of issues, though. Brace yourself for a hefty s20, if they do decide to do all that work.

MovingForwards

It's a thread from over a year ago.

PawelK

Hi. I was wondering whether OP or the most recent replies had any follow up on their problems? If so, please PM me as I would like to discuss and share my own experience.

Thank you.

Concerned83

Hi, I know this thread is old, but PLEASE is anyone able to privately message me at my email address I will provide to let me know which block the poster is referring too?
 
As I’m half way through buying a flat in Bromley which Northleach manage the block for, and this post has filled me with dread. I must know which block the poster is referring too?? 

My email - hannah4444h444@gmail.com

Thank you I really hope to hear from someone 

NameUnavailable

I wouldn't worry too much. Most management companies are just as useless.