Featured Articles

In this light-hearted yet thought-provoking sketch, leaseholder Jane Bayliss gives a fascinating insight into the machinations of life within a seaside block of flats. (All names have been changed!) After our flats management company’s Annual General Meeting last summer I received an unexpected card from an 85-year-old neighbour saying, ‘Thank you – that was the least confrontational meeting I have attended in 10 years at Seagull Towers, and I no longer dread the sound of letters plopping through my lett

When it comes to the mistreatment of leaseholders, some of the very worst’¨offenders are not the archetypal greedy private landlord of fairy tale fame’¨– but rather public authorities, namely local councils and housing associations. Councils as bad landlords are unfortunately ubiquitous, says Mira Bar-Hillel. Some leaseholders feel that their council resents the very fact of their being home owners and takes it out on them at every opportunity. Sad to say, housing associations can suffer from the same kn

The issue of saving the environment is high on most peoples’ agendas, and anyone involved with the day-to-day property management of residential schemes, whether a landlord, developer, freeholder, resident management company or right-to-manage company, will be on the look-out for ways in which they can be more environmentally sound. The use of web technology, such as Peverel OM’s Avenue to facilitate the day-to-day running of a residential management scheme is one way in which this can be achieved. Aven

When it comes to experience within the property management sector few can boast the level of experience and expertise that Gerry Fox has to offer. Gerry was the founder Chairman of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) and still remains an active Council member. Now working as a Regional Director for Peverel OM Ltd, one of the country’s leading property management agents, Gerry’s career history within the sector spans over 40 years. A Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

There is an expression: “Why keep a dog and bark yourself”. I was reminded of this phrase when I attended a directors meeting of a Resident Management Company (RMC) to explain just why they should treat health and safety as an important issue. It was the general view of the residents present that health and safety legislation did not apply to their property and they felt that because it was residential and health and safety legislation is based on the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (the emphasis being

In the second of a series of plain-English legal articles, Shaun Jardine of Brethertons Solicitors highlights an area of law of most interest to landlords – getting paid for major works. (Last issue’s article dealt with the same subject from the tenants perspective.) The laws under the spotlight are Commonhold & Leasehold Reform Act 2002 (CLRA); the Service Charge (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003 and Section 20 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.The problem is that some Landlords and prop

Q Tell us about your career and how you came to County Estate Management (CEM)? A  I read Economics at London University. One of my first jobs was in property management and, as with many careers, you start off in a particular sector and remain within it. I started on my own in property management in 1987 and then founded CEM in 1991 with my brother Clive. We grew the business organically, made some acquisitions along the way and then we purchased the residential management arm of Hamptons International,

The average selling price of a flat has risen by 203% since 1997 Quarter 1 from £64,503 to £195,382 in 2007 Quarter 1. The increase in the average price of a flat has outpaced the 192% increase for all residential properties during the past decade. Regionally, East Anglia has seen the sharpest increase in flat prices during the past 10 years with a rise of 330% followed by the North (254%) and the South East (247%). The smallest increases have been in Scotland (162%) and the North West (182%). While flat

Regulation of social housing is under the spotlight and Professor Martin Cave’s review is due soon. The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) believes in the need for fundamental reform of regulation rather than improvements to the existing system, says Sarah Webb. Social housing has changed since the foundations of the existing regulation framework were built and the system now has weaknesses. First, it treats housing associations, council landlords, developers of affordable housing and private landlord

I have learnt a very valuable lesson this month – it doesn’t matter how much you spend on a flat, you’ll still have leaks, not working fountains and overspends in service charge. I had the opportunity to visit an exclusive West End development and discovered this salutary fact. The problems there were being handled by chasing the developer to deal with snagging and liaison with the owners to keep them informed. The difference comes down to the agents and how matters are handled. For value, surveyors alwa

Leslie Griffiths joined the Claibon team in April 2005 after becoming restless during his retirement. Upon meeting Leslie and seeing his enthusiasm and experience we engaged him as a temporary concierge/porter. He has become one of our clients’ most popular temporary workers and is always requested back by every property he works at. “I like Leslie because he is trustworthy and reliable and he is not one to let me down,” says John Donovon, Resident Head Porter of a London block. “On his first day Leslie d

Who should I contact if I want to buy the freehold of my flat? Johan (surname withheld) A If you wish to acquire the freehold of a flat then the best place to start is with the freeholder of the building containing it. However, a flat held as an individual freehold – the ‘flying freehold’- is rare, and something of a taboo among mortgage lenders. That is why the convention has developed to grant leases on flats as opposed to the outright freehold. Commonhold is meant to address this, resulting in viabl