Who regulates building managers?

[ABS]

Hi all,

I've been having trouble with my building manager. In around October, when I occupied my flat myself, I noticed that a window in the common area of the property was leaking, causing water damage to the common area. I contacted the building manager and after constant chasing, managed to get confirmation that someone came around to 'assess' (that's right, not fix) the cause of the damage damage in December - nearly two months after I alerted the manager to the issue. Despite several requests, the manager has still not confirmed whether the problem has been addressed.

Fast forward to just after new year - the week I had tenants move in, I was notified by my letting agent (who has been very helfpul throughout) that water was coming into my flat, damaging the walls and making one of the bedrooms uninhabitable - very unfortaunte timing for myself and the tenants. After three weeks of trying to get the building manager to take some action, they have once again sent someone to 'assess' the cause of the damage - it appears to be a leaking window in the common area of the building (it is unclear whether it is the same window which caused the initial problem). Despite promises to keep me updated, they are again failing to respond to my requests for an update on when the damage will be repaired, etc.

I'm trying to light a fire under these guys as the tenants are understandably very upset. In addition to its management business, building manager also does surveying work and is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Does anyone know whether RICS (or any other body) regulates building managers? I just want the problem fixed and the tenants happy. Making a formal complaint will just eat up time I don't have and at best will result in the manager being slapped over the wrist about its service levels. However, it would be useful to let the manager know that I know how they are regulated - it might result in them pulling their socks up.

[Mortitia]

Hi ABS,

As I read this you have bought a leasehold flat in block where an outside company maintains the building and I expect each flat owner pays fees for this to happen? Out of interest - how many in the block, age of the block and what are the fees?

These management companys are not regulated and you no doubt have become a nuisance to the managers by complaining. Unfortunately some of these companies take the money and do very little - this may be one of those.

A quick way around this for your tenants would be to get a builder in yourself to diagnose the problem and fix it. You could then refuse to pay your fees thus deducting the cost of the work since the company has not responded to you. Write and tell the managers this is what you intend to do in say 14 days time and see if that bucks them up a bit.

How do your fellow leaseholders get on with this management company are there lots of complaints? If you all refused to pay they would be forced to take some action.

Buying a flat with a share of the freehold is always prefereable - that way you form your own management company with the other freeholders and so can authorise your own repairs and get work done more easily.

Not the answer you were looking for I suspect.

Mortitia

[Lyndon]

Is the manager employed by a company? If so they may belong to ARMA - Association of Residential Managing Agents. www.arma.org.uk

[ABS]

Thanks guys,

Yes. We own a leasehold in a block of 4 flats and have contracted a company to provide the maintenance (they also do this for the buliding next doors, which was redeveloped at the same time as ours - 6 years ago). Some of the other owners expressed disappointment about high fees some time ago and wanted to self-manage, but at that time, we thought the manager was doing fine and that it was better to have a third party dealing with building issues and collecting money from everyone. Obviously that view has now changed - despite my forwarding emails to the manager last week that clearly demonstrate that they sat on their hands for 2 months when we first alerted them to signs of a problem (despite us trying to move them along), they still can't even acknowledge that they were slow to respond!

The problem has been diagnosed by the manager's contractor (who finally was good enough to come around for the second time, nearly three months after we first alerted the manager to the problem and a month after his initial visit) and appears to be a leaking roof. Unfortunately, the only access to the roof is through the flat above ours and the story we are getting from the manager is that they cannot get hold of him to arrange access (we moved to Singapore just beofer Christmas, so verifying this is proving difficult). We've already told them that we will be deducting money from their fees, particularly if our tenants move out, but it doesn't seem to be gettin us anywhere. It's a shame that there isn't a regulator we can involve!

[ABS]

Is the manager employed by a company? If so they may belong to ARMA - Association of Residential Managing Agents. www.arma.org.uk

Thanks Lyndon - I've checked and my manager is a member of ARMA. It seems that to make any complaint to ARMA, I need to review the RICS document on mangement fees?

After poking around the websites of both organisations, I'm a liitle suspicious that they would be more interested in protecting the income stream provided by their members than they would be in receiving a complaint from a landlord. Do you have experience dealing with either organisation?

[Lyndon]

I have not had exerience of ARMA or RICS so am unable to comment. However we recently had occasion to discuss something with NALS and was told, in no uncertain terms, that they were there to safeguard the public, NOT agents who are members. We are now referred to as "licenced agents" rather than members!

I see that to get a copy of the ARMA Code of Practice you have to call RICS on an 0870 number! However the landline number is 020 7222 7000 - isn't Google amazing!