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QUESTION I would appreciate some guidance on how to tackle being threatened with legal action by a contractor for non settlement of an invoice when the work was not done correctly. I'm one of four Directors of a MCL for a residential estate consisting of 122 leasehold one bedroom flats and maisonettes who own the freehold. Directors are elected leaseholders who voluntarily manage the non-profit Management Company assisted by a managing agent. In September 2017 we sought quotes to replace an ageing interc

The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) hosted its Annual Conference on Tuesday 9 October, with the sell-out event seeing more than 300 professionals gathering for the main event in the leasehold enfranchisement calendar.   This year’s conference addressed the legislation changes the sector will likely undergo in the coming years. Indeed, the opening lecture was delivered by Law Commissioner Professor Nicholas Hopkins who presented an update on the Law Commission’s work on enf

These days, the block management interview process is rarely a stressful affair. Well, it need not be if you prepare properly. By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail – Benjamin Franklin The block management industry has at no time been more demanding yet it is rising to the challenge and showing levels of professionalism never seen before. Thanks to the IRPM in part, property managers’ profiles have been raised. New practitioners have deliberately chosen property management for a career and t

The history of housing in the UK is, in general, a rather dry topic. But in recent times, during what could fairly be described as turmoil in the housing market, the whole debate about tenure has became rather pertinent, writes Richard Berridge In the UK we are used to the debate over ownership v rental, with rental usually coming out as negative and ownership positive. Different generations have different views over many things, and, as generational evolution will have it, what was good for mum and dad,

It’s essential to follow the correct procedure or your claim as a landlord may fail, warns Amanda Hamilton. If you rent your flat and find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing to get a tenant out, it’s generally an unpleasant situation for both sides. The two routes to evicting a tenant are either serving a Section 21 Notice of Possession or a Section 8 Eviction Notice under the Housing Act 1988. Both notices produce the same outcome: you get your property back. However, it’s essential you’

What do you think is the biggest challenge in residential property management over the next six months? That was the question asked by property recruitment specialist PropRec when they recently conducted a survey property and regional managers around the UK Over half of the respondents said their biggest challenge would be increased legislation/regulation as the biggest challenge. Since the tragic events of Grenfell, the consensus in the market is that over the coming months adapting to legislative change

The South Place Hotel might currently be enjoying its moment in the spotlight as one of the key locations in the hit BBC1 drama Bodyguard. But at the beginning of September it was the setting for a dinner and discussion event attended by played some of the biggest names in block management, co-hosted by News on the Block and Fixflo. David Goldberg, of Pod Management, skilfully moderated a lively discussion that was supposed to pause for dinner but carried right the way through to post-dessert coffees. The

The role of a fire warden has become more widely known in the media due to the tragic events at Grenfell Tower. However, what has not been explained is the important role these wardens play in the safety of a building. There is also a lack of education within the industry on what is required under the law to have a fire warden on site. The role of a fire warden involves both proactive day to day duties and reactive emergency tasks which usually involves the following: Checking all fire exits and rout

A watch manager begged his superiors to abandon the ‘stay-put’ advice given to Grenfell Tower residents within minutes of arriving at the burning block, the official inquiry was told. Norman Harrison, who was watch manager from Wembley, was called to the scene at 1:15am – 20 minutes after London Fire Brigade received its first call – and quickly realised something was wrong. Mr Harrison, who has 25 years’ experience, told the inquiry in a written statement that he had “never seen a fire like it” and the i

"Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled The battle outside ragin' Will soon shake your windows  and rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin" Words by Bob Dylan but could this sentiment be also attributed to the radical proposals laid out by The Rt Hon Lord Justice Bean, Professor Nicholas Hopkins, Stephen Lewis, Professor David Ormerod QC and Nicholas Paines QC, the Law Commissi

Buildings are far more than just the elevations and internal spaces that people see and use each day. Each building, estate, client and occupier will have their own individual requirements. We would advocate that Planned Preventative Maintenance, when properly directed, is one of the property owner’s most important management tools with each building receiving its own dedicated survey, review and important maintenance programme. Mechanical, electrical and out of sight “no glory” elements are too often ign

It’s unbearable to think about, but residential fires happen. But what do property managers, landlords and tenants need to do to prevent and in the event of a blaze? We look at the official fire brigade advice. Modern day life means residential fires are not as often as they used to be. The demise of fossil fuels being used to heat homes, less gas being used and people choosing alternatives to chip pans mean risks have fallen. Whether that means there is a blasé attitude towards fires in the home is open