Overview

Maintaining the common parts of a building containing flats is a skilled task.  There are many different parts of a building containing flats including windows, roofs, stairwells, , basements, plant rooms, car parks and sometimes even sports facilities.  To maintain these common parts effectively there needs to be a maintenance plan and regular professional visits from the appropriate contractor, properly supervised.

In this section, you will find out all about the maintenance issues in flats, the legal liabilities you face and how to minimise them.  If you have more questions, require further clarification, or want to suggest an article don't forget to contact us, comment on an article or leave a comment in our forum.

The Common Wasp: Friend or Foe?

For many people, the summertime means enjoying relaxing picnics in the sun. There is one particular insect associated with this season however, which evokes fear, distress and annoyance in many picnic goers: the common wasp. Despite being a pest species, many people don't realise how interesting and complex these social insects are. So should we treat wasps with fear or admiration?

The everchanging seasons of property maintenance

Peter Gilgallon advises blocks to plan in preventative maintenance throughout the year. Here, he looks at the spring and summer months.

Abandoning the communal heating system

Communal heating systems are very common within older blocks and it is inevitable that at some point the Residents Association will consider abandoning the system in favour of installing independent boilers and heating systems to each flat.Whilst the idea of each resident having their own heating system is desirable for all sorts of reasons, making it happen is not as straight forward as you would imagine, so in order to save you time and money on consultants and surveys let us first look at the practical issues.

How to keep your block rodent free

Dr. David channon explains why winter is the busiest period for rodent control. As we all shiver and long for the warmth of our comfy houses whilst commuting to work in the freezing weather, rodents share our sentiments and are also looking for cosy hideouts during the cold snaps.

How far have costs been cut in your block?

As we are all aware, this has been the worst recession recorded in this country since records began and in general it has been a hard year for the majority of people. Some industries have felt it harder than others and that seems to be the case in the cleaning industry with some specialist services frozen, the frequency of cleaning services changed and contracts lost as blocks do not have the resources to pay for any contract cleaning.

How clean are the floors in your block and how do you keep them looking good?

They catch your eye as soon as you enter your block, even more so the dirty marks that seem never to go away! The weekly cleaning of the block addresses the norm, but over time the floors start to look dirty.

Rats in Flats

As “rat season” approaches, Dr. David Channon who has researched and monitored rat behaviour for over 23 years, explains why blocks of flats should take appropriate measures. Recent press reports of the UK rat population exceeding the human population are likely to be gross over-estimates. More reliable estimates centre on the figure of about 25 million.

How mediation provides an alternative way to resolve disputes in a block of flats

Residents at loggerheads with their landlord or managing agent? Residents falling out with each other? Familiar story? robert gordon-james explains how mediation can help. One of the key ingredients for harmony in a residential development is to ensure that everyone gets on. It follows therefore that harmony among residents, will improve the chances of establishing a successful relationship with their managing agent.

Property Maintenance - A lot more than just vacuuming and dusting

Martin Sales considers what your cleaning Company does for you and how you ensure that you select the right cleaning company. Does it look like the cleaners only ever vacuum and dust the stairways in your apartment block? It may well do, but look a little deeper and you may discover a whole lot more. Start at the front door, is it clean? The dirty finger marks from last week have gone, and the entrance steps are clean.

How to plan for major works in your block of flats

Peter Merriman discusses planning ahead. When advising our clients of their budgeting needs it is sensible to anticipate what major works may be required beyond the next 12 months This allows a reserve or sinking fund to be maintained at levels that avoid significant fluctuations in charges payable when works are due.

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How Far Eastern Quality Beat the Credit Crunch

If you're going to fall victim to the recent credit crunch, you might as well do it in style. Fallout from the financial downturn was felt across London's Canary Wharf district, but nowhere was it more obvious than at Ballymore's flagship residential development, Pan Peninsula.

The Common Wasp: Friend or Foe?

For many people, the summertime means enjoying relaxing picnics in the sun. There is one particular insect associated with this season however, which evokes fear, distress and annoyance in many picnic goers: the common wasp. Despite being a pest species, many people don't realise how interesting and complex these social insects are. So should we treat wasps with fear or admiration?

Tax for flats

The recent hike in capital gains tax to 28% by the new coalition Government has been met with caution by the property industry, as it will affect many who have invested in flats.

IFAS Prefer Commercial to Residential property

More financial advisers think their clients should consider commercial property as an investment compared with residential property, according to the latest survey of Independent Financial advisers (IFas) by rEITa.

Flats Rise - slowly

The latest Government house building data shows that the number of starts rose in the first three months of this year to the best level since the second quarter of 2008. Despite this, starts are currently only running at around 50% of the level achieved at the high water mark of the previous cycle.

Leaseholders group won't be left in the cold

The Federation of Private Residents Associations has called for a change to the Landlord and Tenant Act that would allow for ‘reasonable' insulation to be carried out to blocks of flats as part of the service charge.

Mainstay acquires Market Focus

Mainstay group , the national property management and facilities company, has purchased Market Focus Asset Management (MFAM) based in London. MFAM specialise in the management of mixed use, residential and commercial property.

Managing to Win

Over 50 property managers celebrated together in London as England beat Slovenia in the FIFa world Cup 2010. The event was jointly hosted by News on the Block and Sky Homes.

RMG wins £400k of Business in North

RMG property management has successfully generated over £400k worth of business from the north of England.  Justin Herbert, RMG's Operations Director for the North, said: "Customers recognise the benefi t of regular site visits, full transparency and accessibility to Property Managers, quarterly meetings and site audits, as well as the value for money and customer service provided by RMG."

New Home, New Leader for Stonedale

Stonedale, the specialist London based property management company has appointed Andrew Lyle as its new Head of Operations. Andrew boasts a career that spans over 20 years in property management, having worked for a number of high profi le managing agents in London. In the 18 months since joining the Stonedale team as a Senior Property Manager, he has managed developments in Docklands, Limehouse and Clerkenwell.