Question 1

What is a lease?

Accepted Answer

A lease is a contractual, legally binding contract where one party conveys property to another for a specified time in return for a payment which describes the ownership, sets out the rights and obligations of the concerned parties.

Question 2

What is a service charge and why do I have to pay it?

Accepted Answer

Your service charge is to enable the residents management company or freeholder to provide all of the services set out in the lease.   Details of what can be charged and the proportion of the charge to be paid by the individual leaseholder will be set out in the lease. Most modern leases allow for the collection of service charges in advance, repaying any surplus or collecting any shortfall at the end of the year

Question 3

What is ground rent and why do I have to pay it?

Accepted Answer

Ground rent is completely separate from the service charge. This is an annual rent payable to the freeholder of the development which is specified in the lease.

Question 4

What happens if I am struggling to pay my service charge?

Accepted Answer

If you are having difficulties due to unforeseen circumstances its crucial you inform us as soon as possible so that we can work with you to get things back on track.

Question 5

How do I know that service charge monies for my development are safe?

Accepted Answer

All service charge monies are held in trust in accordance with Section 42 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.   Each development we manage has it's own separate bank account and you pay your           service charges directly into this account.   The service charge you pay is only used for matters in connection with your development which your lease allows for.

Question 6

What is the reserve fund?

Accepted Answer

Reserve funds are money collected towards large expensive future works such as redecorations and roof replacements etc.   This money is held in trust, on behalf of the development, to ensure money is available when the works are required.

Question 7

A vehicle keeps parking in my allocated parking bay, what should I do?"

Accepted Answer

Lack of parking and the use of other people’s allocated spaces is an all too common issue.   If you are unsure as to the terms of your lease as to the conditions set out for the parking of vehicles, please contact us and we will be happy to advise.   If your flat comes with a dedicated parking space then you are completely within your rights to politely ask your neighbours not to use the space. If you are not aware of who is parking within your space then we would recommend leaving a polite note on the windscreen.

Question 8

What can I do if my neighbours are causing a nuisance?

Accepted Answer

Most of the time the best way to approach the problem is to have a friendly word and ensure they’re aware of the issue as more often than not people are not aware they're causing a nuisance.   Before you approach them, it's important to consider whether there's a risk to your safety.   As your managing agent, we will do our best to assist you if you report anti-social behaviour from a neighbour. We are responsible for maintaining the common areas of your development and cannot control an individual’s behaviour. There is a limit to the powers we do have.   In the event of persistent complaints we recommend you consult your Local Council who have wide ranging powers to deal with nuisances or visit Which-Consumer Rights Advice.

Question 9

What is the difference between a Management Company and Managing Agent?

Accepted Answer

The freeholder owns the building. Many buildings also have a residents management company. They are a party to the lease and have a legal obligation to the leaseholders to provide certain services.   The residents management company is made up of leaseholders.   A managing agent is a person or company appointed by the freeholder or residents management company to administer the day to day running of the development.

Question 10

I have a complaint, what can I do?"

Accepted Answer

Contact us in writing with your initial concerns and allow us a period of time to acknowledge and resolve the complaint for you. If we are unable to resolve your complaint in-house, you can contact the Property Redress Scheme .

Question 11

What does the term demises premises mean?

Accepted Answer

"What is yours". The parts of the building you have bought and are responsible for such as the internal shell of your flat or maisonette along with any gardens or out-buildings.

Question 12

Do you charge a commission for arranging contractors?

Accepted Answer

No, we believe that it is not ethical and transparent to receive commissions from contractors that are appointed on behalf of our clients.   Our mission is to help you achieve the best value possible for your development.

Question 13

How do I change my address or contact details that you hold?

Accepted Answer

All address changes are required to be sent to us in writing/by email. Unfortunately, we cannot accept changes to addresses, or any other personal details, over the telephone.

Question 14

What should I do if water is leaking into my flat?

Accepted Answer

Water leaks in blocks of flats are a common problem. In most residential leases the residents management company or freeholder is responsible for maintaining pipework shared by leaseholders only.   The repairing obligation of pipework exclusively serving a flat is that of the leaseholder.   If you have a neighbour upstairs, the first thing to do is to see if you can contact them by knocking on the door. Early intervention will minimise the damage.   If your neighbour is not home, or there is no apartment above you, report water ingress to your managing agent as soon as possible. If the leak comes from a common part of the building such as the roof we will arrange a contractor to repair the area.   We would also suggest familiarising yourself with the location of any stop valves in the communal areas and how these can be accessed should the water to a flat need to be turned off in the event of a water leak.

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