News ProPerty management


ARMAMeMbeRship hitsnewhigh


Membership of the Association of ResidentialManagingAgents (ARMA) has reachedits highest ever levelwith300 registered firms. The organisation has seen membership leap by 13%since it announcedmeasures to introduce anew self-regulatoryregimefor managing agents 12months ago. ARMA’s ChairmanBen Jordan


said:“It’s good to seemanaging agents responding so positively to ARMA-Q. Since we announced plans for self-regulation in 2012 we’ve seen asteadygrowth inmembership applications.


Ben Jordan: steady growthinapplications


ARMA-Q is all about raising standardssoit’sencouraging to see somany agents wanting to


be apartofthat.Welook forward to seeing thenumbers continue to rise as thedatefor ARMA-Q accreditation gets closer.” Neil Newstead,managing


director of ARMA’s 300thmember Oakfield, said: “Since 1996when we opened ourfirst office in Hastings we’ve putconsumers at the heart of our business. So joiningARMAwithits new consumer-focused self-regulatory regimewas the right thing to do –bothfor ourbusinessand for ourclients.And beingthe 300th member is an added bonus.”


technology


tVMAybe Affected by4g bRoAdbAnd MAsts


Theinstallationofmasts for4G broadband is starting in London with othercitiesintheUKto follow. However, it is possible that if youliveinablock with acommunalTVaerial, your receptionmay be affected by a newmast in your area. Theorganisationset up


to deal with anyproblems relating to 4Gmasts, at800, explains thatsmallerblocks with communal aerialswill be provided with a communal filter, if required. The company has pledgedtowrite to everyone in an area predicted to be affected, at leastfourweeks before thenew 4Gmastsgo live, and provide blocks with a communal filter, free of charge provided youhavemade contact with themor they have been able to reach you directly. “Wehaveassumedthat


in blocks of flats with five or moreindividual homes, TV services are provided through acommunalTVaerialsystem -eitheramasterantenna system(MATV) or an Integrated ReceptionSystem(IRS).Where thereare four or fewerflats we will treatthemassingle dwellingsand supply residents with afreeindividual at800 filter,”saysat800. Anyone responsible for


newBuild newleaseof life forLondon’s ‘ugliesttower’


oneoflondon’smosthatedtowers istobecompletelyredevelopedas partofaplantoprovideanestimated 5000homesforrentinthecapital. essentiallivinghasacquiredthe leaseholdtothe16-storeyarchway towerfor£6mfromValadProperty group. withaPremierinnexpectedto


bebuiltnextdoor,thesitewillbe oneofthecountry’sbiggestoffice- to-residentialconversions,made possibleundergovernmentplanning changesintroducedthissummer. thebrutalist80,000sqftoffice blockwascompletedin1963above


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archwaytubestation. itwasusedby thedepartmentforSocialSecurity duringthe1980s,butfellvacantin 2012.englishheritagehadpreviously addedthebuildingtoahit listof buildingstobedemolishedbutthe costofknockingitdown-atover £15-20m-aswellasthedisruptionit wouldcause,madeituneconomic. nowgivenanewleaseoflife,


archwaycouldsoonbehometoone ofthebiggestregenerationprojects inthecountry.Backedby$200mof equityfromm3capitalPartners, whomanageuSinstitutionalfunds, essentiallivingplanstodesign,build


andmanage5,000rentedhomes acrosslondonandtheSoutheast. theyaimtoreplicatethe


successfulamericanmulti-family lettingssectorbybuyinguplandto developrentalhomes.thesewillthen bedirectlymanagedoverthelong term.Benefitswillincludelonger tenancies,anarrayofcommunal servicesandprofessional,roundthe clockonsiteservice. archwayisessentialliving’s


fourthacquisitionfollowingrecent dealsinSwisscottageandBethnal green,eastlondon.theyhavea pipelineofaround1,000homes.


managing a block will need to arrangefor an aerial contractor to fit the filter to the launch amplifier on the system. The cost of fitting communal filters is not covered by at800 but itmay be possible to recover anycostsincurredthrough theservice charge. Property managers orRMCs will need to register the details of the block or blocks theymanage, together with the contact details of their aerial contractor,including an email address, with the at800 contactcentre. Tel: 0333 3131 800.


ARMAhas issuedanew Lessee


Advisory Note to help property managers answer residents’ queries. To download a copy go to


the ARMAwebsite atwww.arma. org.uk and click on ‘Advice’.


Issue 15 Flat Living


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