 | Home > Off Topic > being fu*cked over and you can't jack about it. |
 
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264   
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basically got a flat (purpose built - 16 apartments c 7 years old).
management company is ripping us off, proving to be completely incompatent (never read elec meters in 6 years and the elec bill escalated to c£5k p/a for 2 staircases with low energy fittings and a few external low energy fittings!) the gardener is on about £60 / hr ! 
the whole lot sinks - as a group it costs c£35k a year to maintain !!!WTF !!! anyway now got a court application because I've said enough is enough and I stopped paying somtime back. looked at going down the right to manage route and everyone on site is keen etc but I've run out of time but looks like I'm gonna have to find the time cause this needs to be sorted one way or another..... anyone got some advice - would be very much appreciated as I'm pulling my hair out - litterally.  |
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31st Jul 2011 12:45pm |
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| Grockle Member Since: 24 Nov 2008 Location: Peak District National Park Posts: 2266  
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what about moving 2.4 90 XS
1968 1/32 scale Britains 109 Pick up. |
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31st Jul 2011 2:03pm |
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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610 
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Go speak to a solicitor....I too have a flat which is share of freehold and 'managed!' It is a very complex process and involves 'forming a company' with shares. You need to appoint Directors a treasurer and submit accounts each year detailing expenditure, forecasted expenditure for the following year etc. etc.
Most management agencies take 'kick backs' and can be quite unscrupulous in their 'dealings' especially when offering contracts. I have a mate in the building trade and another who runs his own decorating business with 14 people on his books. It would make your blood boil if you knew (think you already do!) what goes on. It is much better to find a half - decent management company and play them at their own game. I am a director of the company for my block of flats and I always insist on seeking out my own quotes from people I know in the trade to beat down any submitted quotes. I shaved £1,500 off of an electrical contractors estimate and over £2,000 off of some groundwork we needed doing! As a Director the management company need your approval prior to doing anything but emergency work! Seek another management company would be my advice unless you and several other owners have considerable time and devotion to work your way through the minefield of self-management. Good luck!!! If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!! Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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31st Jul 2011 6:25pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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K9F
don't really have the time but I've already done alot of ground work with the right to manage ie got contacts for c70% of lessees and all keen to vote for RTM. myself and 2 others happy to become directors, already have alternative quotes for most contracts -being in facilities management and the building trade gives me a head start I guess. going to an alternative management company is a good one but unfortunately the landlord is so tucked up in bed with the current one I don't see it happening - also what might start out good could always turn sour and up where we are now. 110SEB - pm on its way. thanks both. - oh and grockle - moving house.....hmm -thats like putting my hands up and saying come f*ck me some more - you've won and can do what the f you like to me I'll just sit here and let you walk all over me. 
thanks for the suggestion all the same.  |
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1st Aug 2011 7:23am |
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| RED-DOT Member Since: 29 Jun 2009 Location: stirling Posts: 2363 
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I am in the exact same situation but we call them factors in Scotland.. we were going to go "self-factoring" but we then changed to another factor and they have bigger offices and staff to pay for... A 10 minute repair costs £150 and the grounds get done with petrol tools, no care shown and drainage gullies have been full for 4 years. We still have road grit from 2009 all over the communal car park and a flooded bin area that is stagnant but we were charged £250 install a drain that never worked. 2008 RS4 gone, 123d M Sport, and a Puma 90 XS..
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1st Aug 2011 9:30am |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 4990
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Very common I'm afraid. As a Gardener I was getting paid £70-90 per hour on two sites (blocks of flats!) but that stopped during the recession and the residents sacked the management company who subbed me and are now quite rightly managing it themselves. I picked up a stately home job last week where the residents of the apartments have got rid of the management company, gardener etc and I am now maintaining the property grounds etc
Lovely job  It's £25 per hour not £90  but a very nice number  |
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1st Aug 2011 11:29am |
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| K9F Member Since: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 9610
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Cateham,
Another potential solution would be to see if the Landlord is prepared to relinquish his interest in the Leasehold and turn it into 'share of freehold?' That way you can 'chin him off too!' Providing of course all the Leaseholders have a few grand to spare to buy him out, his price is right and and they are all in agreement. We did! Expenditure can be recouped by the increase in value due to the flats being freehold. Unusual I know but that's what we did and it cost us about £3,5K each! Form a committee and inform the Landlord none of you are going to pay the maintenance charge unless an alternative Management Company of your choosing is used. Watch him then squirm!!!!!! Play the same kind of hardball he is with you.....see how he likes being bent over his desk and f  up the a
Makes me angry just reading about your plight!  Good luck whatever the path you choose to take! Let me know out of interest how it eventually pans out please! If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!
Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!! |
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1st Aug 2011 3:57pm |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5024 
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We are in the same deal - although fractionally different; private estate. Now we are different to most here because, whilst most of them are rented and leasehold - we are freehold and own our house, also we have our own private drive off the estate so whilst the rest have shared parking and grass etc everything for the 5 of us is ours etc - the only thing we share is the sewar and pump.
Well when the developers left a mangement company was supposed to be set up from residents within the estate - it hasnt, as im supposed to be a director...however the management company do everything you experience and often add additional one off charges - usually 50-90% the annual cost we pay (the lowest amount) for some major issue with the 2yr old pump and sewar system. Oh and still havent set the company up as they were supposed to I like you think its time to get rid of them...and more interestingly now the water companies are taking over the sewar and in a few years the pump, we will be paying for nothing. I would be interested to see how you get on because we suffer no service, increased costs and no accountability... Mike |
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1st Aug 2011 9:50pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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mse - sounds just like our estate - wasn't a wilson homes job was it?
k9f - everyone is interested in moving away from the current provider and I did approach the landlord about seeking a new maintenance company and they weren't interested - and made it quite clear ! hence I feel the RTM route is the only option
I will keep you up dated thanks |
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2nd Aug 2011 8:52am |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5024
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No this is a Bryant although im sure they are all one in the same...probably the same management company - who also did a survey for the people buying our last house with some interesting results (dirt confused as blow UPVC window {once cleaned, problem solved} and Drain blocked by...soap suds - solution to wash out drain!) Mike
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2nd Aug 2011 9:17am |
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