MaintenanCe Advice
aMan With a
PLan Aplannedmaintenance
programme could save you time and money says JuLianDavies
The vagaries of The Englishweather together with day-to-day wear andtear mean that all buildings deteriorate over
time.Changes to legislationand statutory requirements also affectthe standardsby whichpropertiesare judged. Forleaseholders, it is vitalthatthese changes areeffectively managed and their block kept safe and sound, while avoidingmajor disruption and financial cost. If they areneglected,eventhemost beautiful buildings can - quite literally - fall apart, as demonstratedbythe saddemiseof Brighton’sWest Pier. Thebest waytoavoid significant
deteriorationinthe stateofyourbuilding is to not wait to correct and repair serious faults, but to organise plannedmaintenance. That doesn’tjustmeankeeping theproperty clean, but setting out a clear, long-termset of measures to keep it in prime condition.
Planahead APlannedMaintenanceProgramme(PMP) should covereverythingfrom structural checks to re-decorating and gutter clearing. Andalthoughnot dramatic,its effects can be hugely beneficial. Also,whenthere area groupofleaseholders collectively responsible forrepairs,acomprehensivePMPcanavoid disputes,which oftenrequire expensive resolutions. Thekey to gettingplannedmaintenance
rightistodevelop aprogrammeof maintenanceworkthatiscomprehensive, well-organised and affordable. APMP is a vitaltooltohelpmanagingagentsorproperty owners set reliable levels of service charge expenditure or reserve funds for the cost of future repair andmaintenance of a building.
WhocanhelP? To put an effectivePMP in place for your block, youshouldcommissionaprofessional –preferablyachartered building surveyor –to draw up acosted schedule of worksfor youthat will identify any work that needs to be done urgently and pinpoint futuremaintenance issues.
Flat Living Autumn2011
Whatare thebenefits?
nOngoingcompliance with statutory obligations.
nGreatercontrol over expenditure and reduced risk of future cost.
nMaintainingthe underlying valueofthe property.
nMaintaining the standard and presentation of the block.
nMinimising the need for emergency and reactive maintenance.
nAvoiding disputes, since allpartiescan contribute to the plan.
Don’t wait to repair faults or you could face bigger bills furtherdownthe line
The first step is for the surveyor to produce
adetailedsurveyofyourbuilding so that anynecessary work on thebuilding canbe prioritisedand to ensure that anyinitial structural work is carried outatthe sametime to create economiesofscale in termsoffixed costs like scaffolding.
What Will it cost? Once this work has been carried out, the surveyor should be able to putinplace aplan to demonstrate thebest waytomaintain the building in that condition, avoiding
anyspikesinexpenditure.Depending on thesizeofthe property,the detailed plan andcost schedule should only cost between £500-£2000. This is asmall price to pay for thereassuranceand issue-avoidance that it creates. Once this frameworkisinplace,RMC directorswillbeabletomonitor andupdate thePMP regularly and a review by a surveyor should only be necessary once everytwo or three years. I recently visited asmall block in very poor
condition, withabacklog ofmaintenance spanning 20
years.Many significant defects could have beeneasily avoided by regularmaintenance.WhenI explained thecollectivecost of allthework thatwould
nowberequired, theresidentswere shocked. Particularly as therewas no sinking fund to cover them. Myadvice is to avoid that worry and
unnecessary expense and invest in aPMP. Your propertymay not currently look or feel like theWest Pier, but it’s worth ensuring that it stays that way!●
www.flat-living.co.uk
To download a sample of aPMPreportand cost schedule, go to the flat Livingwebsite at
Julian Davies Director, Earl Kendrick Associates Tel 0207 284 1438 email
julian@earlkendrick.com
earlKendrickassociates is afirmof chartered surveyors specialisinginthe residentialblock sector,withofficesin Londonand theSouthWest.
Formore information go to
www.earlkendrick.com
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