News Directive AsbestosRegulAtionstobeRevisedin2012


Earlierthisyearthe European Union told theUKthat it had not fully implemented the Directive that protectsworkers from asbestos.The infringementswere relatively minor but government andHSE has concludedthata rewriteofparts of CAR(Control


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PRACtiCe The Leasehold Advisory Service, LEASE, is holding an enfranchisement event on 21 February 2012 that will be of interest to anyone involved in freehold acquisition. The event will be held at theVillage Hotel, Headingley in Leeds and topics to be covered will include


nTips andtraps at theLVT nCollective enfranchisement


fromstart to finish nPeculiarities in leasehold


valuation Anyonewho is interested in attendingthe eventshould contactLEASE direct.For more information go towww.lease- advice.org/professionalseminar


develoPingAn enFRAnChisement


of Asbestos Regulations2006)is needed,togetherwithadditional guidance. HSE has published its proposals for consultation. The detailsofproposedguidancemay be changed butthe regulations will be reissued by April 2012. Theissuefor theEUisaround


coNFereNce


PRoPeRtYmAnAgeRsto PutConsumeRsFiRst


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Asktheexperts Comesto bouRnemouth


Flat Living’s leaseholdroadshow - Ask the Experts - is visiting a city near you in 2012, with plans to hold events in Leeds, Liverpool, Brighton, Reading and Bristol during the coming year. The first event of the year is to


be held at theHermitage Hotel in Bournemouthon26January. The first session starts at 4.00pm with thesecond at 7.00pmso comealongtothe free forum eventwhere youwillhaveaccess to a panel of leading leasehold experts.Watch this space for moreeventstocomethroughout the year.


10


The ARMAannual conference, held in October, sawmorethan 500managing agents pack the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster to hear leading industry figures speakonthe work being done to increase professionalismin property management andraise standards further. A key initiative was announcedbyBaronessDianne Hayter of Kentish Town, well- known consumer champion and expert in propertymatters,who wasaskedbyARMAtocarry out an independent review and recommend changes in its self regulatory processes. Reporting on thefindings at theconference shesaid:“Wehaverecommended that ARMAseparate regulation and representation with the regulatory role involving independentconsumer representatives.Thisisthe modelthatisbeing increasingly adopted, for example by the Bar Standards Board and the Solicitors Regulatory Authority.” Commenting on ARMA’s


plans to separate theregulation of propertymanagement


Free Service CAsseRlYoFFeRsFReePRoPeRtYAudit


Manchester-based Casserly PropertyManagement is so convincedofthe potential improvements that canbe uncoveredinthemajority of residentialapartment blocks in theNorthWest of England, that thecompany is offeringanew auditservice to flatownersfreeof charge. Theaudit processhas been


specificallydesignedtopinpoint areas forimprovement in residential


propertymanagementandto identifypotentialcost savings andpreventativemaintenance activities as earlyaspossible.RMC/ RTMCodirectors commissioning anauditwill receiveano- obligationblockappraisalaswell asareportdetailingtangible recommendationsfor cost savings andsiteimprovementswhich, accordingtomanagingdirectorPaul Casserly,hasthepotential “bothto addvaluetopropertieswithinthe


blockandhelpmaximisetheservice chargebudget”. Thecompany has recently


becomeaCorporateMember of ARMA(Association of Residential Managing Agents)aspartofits commitmenttodriving best practice andensuringthe highest levels of serviceinthe sector.Paul believes that “residentshaveput up with poor service for too long and a customer service focused approach is long overdue in the industry.”


Winter 2011 Flat Living


agents fromthe Association’s work representingthe industry,RupertRoker,Policy ManageratConsumerFocus said “Propertymanagement matters to consumers and good propertymanagementmakesan enormous difference to the lives of people living in blocks of flats. The public needs to be confident in theregulationofthisindustry and we hope that ARMA’s new directionwillbeabletoraise standardsgenerally across the sector.” Having sold outfor the16th


year running,the conference attractedgovernment representatives,RMC directors, lawyers and accountants as well as propertymanagers fromthe United States,Australia, Ireland andScotland. Delegatesheard aboutthe


work being done by ARMA, theInstitute of Chartered Accountants in England &Wales andthe Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in defining best practice foraccounting forservice charges.The new


best practice guidesetsout what leaseholders canexpect in termsofthe contentof service charge accounts and thereporting accountant’s involvement (see lead story page9and features on page20 and pages 46-47 of this issue). Othertopicsincludedan


update on thelatest legislationas well as news on theprofessional qualifications offered to leasehold blockmanagersbythe IRPMand RICS, and the serious parking issuesthatcould be caused by theProtectionofFreedoms Bill currentlygoing through parliament and howthis is likely to affect leaseholders. Rounding off the presentations


was the lead ombudsman ofOmbudsman Services: Propertywhoreviewedthe typesofcomplaints they had dealtwithrelatingtoleasehold management andrecommended howto handle complaints professionally andpositively. It has been a requirement for ARMAmembers to belong to a recognisedombudsman service fornearlytwo yearsnow.


useofthe terms“non-friable” and “without deterioration of non-degradedmaterial”which currently don’t appear in the Regulationsbut areinthe Directive. The biggest change proposed is that somework that is now


non-licensed will go into a new category of Notifiable Non- LicensedWork (NNLW). There will be moredetailwhenthe HSE issues promised guidance with thenew regulations. To read the consultation go to:www.hse. gov.uk


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