BobSmytherman 28 JohnWilliams Letters
Interview
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John Williams Evenifyou’vehadyourfingersburnt,don’tdismiss theideaofusinganagent
NOBODYLIKESTOspendmoney unnecessarily,especiallywhen times are tough and every penny
counts.Itisinsuchtimes that we look to downsize,cut out unnecessary expenditure and generallyseekmorecost-effective ways to achievethe sameresults. However, in someareas this can provetobeafalse economyand one of those areas is in paying for the services of a professional property manager. Forsome, self-managinga
property might seeman appealing way to try to reduce service charge costs. Forothersthisroute might appeal because they have had a bad experience in the past and simply do notwanttojumpfrom thefrying pan into the fire with another managing agent. However, certain mattersorcomplications canand do arisewhenmanagingresidential blocks and without doubt the best wayforwardfor an RTMcompany is to appoint a professional property management company. Of course I amgoing to say that, I work for one, but letmeexplain. Notonlydoesthemanaging agent
deal with theday-to-dayaffairsbut also potential ‘political’ problems within a building – something it is oftenbetteroffdealing with one-step removedand withoutany emotionalattachment. Agoodmanaging agentdoes
not only understand the way a building works, but will give advice onwhat is necessary to sustain and add to the investment value of thedevelopment. This will include generalpro-activemanagement whereby problems are dealt with before residents are even aware of them, such as dealing with security issues, ensuring parking arrangements areeffective, being ‘ahead of thegame’ (for example smooth transitionwiththe digital switch-over) and planning preventativemaintenance to keep on-goingrunning costsat aminimum(reducingthe risk of nasty surprises). Nor should residents underestimate the importance of having someone aroundwho is up-to-date with
Flat Living Autumn2011
...certain complications cananddo arisewhen managing residential blocks...
Last, but probably one of the
This summer’s riots have taught us that
involvement engenders a sense of community
and understands the impact of government legislationand can disseminate the information in an efficientand easily understandable waysoall residentsderivemaximum
benefit.Agood example of this is the ‘Green Deal’ introduced by theCoalition Government to save leaseholdersmoneywhilehelping theenvironment.
INADDITION to the‘technicalstuff’ outlined above,amanagingagent should also help lead the way in sustaining healthy relations betweenleaseholders and, in some cases, even help build a sense of communityspirit. Facilitating good two-waycommunication is vital andtechnological innovation has played a key part in bringing people together with someagents now investingheavily in custom-made websites,textmessaging updates, live forumsandsmart phone apps, allaimed at bringing leaseholders together andkeeping themin touch withwhat’s going on at their property.
most importantelementsfor an RTMcompanywhich cannot be overlooked,isunderstandingthe impact of ever-changing legislation. Recent reformsmeanleaseholders who continue to self-managemust be fully aware of howthe changes in lawnot only affect their building but, if notcorrectlymanaged, can have asignificanteffect on theRTM companyfrom alegal pointofview. For example, being fully health and safety compliant, having proper fire safety provisions and complying with the latest Asbestos Regulations to namebut a few. Failure to comply with theseregulations or to instruct a suitably qualified assessor to regularlyassessorreviewthese requirementsmay not only lead to ahefty finebut it is notunheard of for prison sentences to be given to those responsible for the upkeep of a building. Doing all of the above is nothing
new; it iswhat anygood professional managing agent should do.Why can we do it better than anyone else?Well, we are experts in propertymatters, we undertake training, adhere to codesof practice and have tomaintain high professional standards. So,use a managing agent, do your homework (ensuretheyhaveprofessional qualifications), tender thework, obtain references andselecta companywithwhomyou feelmost comfortableworking.Wecan help reduce costs and we do add value. Managing property well doesn’t
justmean keeping it in a good state of repair and addingmonetary value, itmeans improving the living environment too. NowIamnot saying thatamanagingagent can change the world but, if the events of the last fewweeks have taught us anything it is that a sense of belonging, care and involvement engendersasense of communityand if that happens in one building, in one area . . .●
JOHNWILLIAMS Director ofManagement and Professional Services at chartered surveyors Aston Rose Tel 0207 6291533
Websitewww.astonrose.co.uk
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