Category: Uncategorized
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Non compliant cladding advice 1
Further to government advice ~ should property managers suspect that cladding on a building they manage, is unlikely to be compliant ~ first on the list is: Notify Fire and Rescue Service Government advice is to inform the local fire service or protection department as failure to do so may put fire-fighters as well…
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Private Sector and Grenfell
In the wake of the Grenfell tragedy, fire safety is receiving an unprecedented level of urgency and attention. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that a fire of equal but smaller seriousness at Lakanal House also involving awful deaths, was an event from which lessons could have been learned and the necessary procedures…
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Fire Safety Update
After the tragedy of Grenfell Tower the testing of cladding became the government’s top priority. On 20 June the government wrote to all local authorities and social landlords requiring them to submit samples of the cladding materials made of aluminium composite material (ACM) for testing from tower blocks and especially on buildings over six storeys…
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RTM (Right to Manage) and RMC (Resident Management Company) In the case of Right to Manage the landlord continues to own elements of the building. The Commonhold & Leasehold Reform Act 2002 gives leaseholders no-fault right to take over management of their building. They do not have to buy the freehold and any superior leasehold…
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Duties of a Director of an RMC
A Residents Management Company or RMC as it is abbreviated, is a non-profit making company set up to administer the service charge funds collected on a development that contains areas shared in common with neighbours or ‘common parts.’ The service charge fund is held in trust for the property owners at the development via…
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Could Leasehold be outlawed after the next election?
In the latest News on the Block magazine (issue 89) they discuss the issue of leasehold with reference to the sale of new-build houses possessing scandalous leases which involve developers selling the freeholds of homes to private companies and leaving the leaseholder with rocketing ground rents. In some instances, the fees have doubled every decade…
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The Real Issues the Politicians should be dealing with after the Election
In their May newsletter Sean Hooker of the PRS wrote a brilliant article regarding rip offs in the property rental sector. Read on… “It is never easy being a victim of crime, you feel violated, shame, anger and feel a real sense of injustice. These feelings are heightened and compounded if the perpetrator of the criminal action was…
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Scotland leading the lettings industry
Discussion are under way in Scotland, where it is the view of one of their agents, that the government is going too far, to expect the Letting Agent Code of Practice to be implemented in January 2018. It is the part where agents become responsible for safety in properties owned by Landlords whose properties they manage.…
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Illogical Fire Safety Fines
Reporting recently on fines imposed for fire risk, health and safety failures, has exposed a question posed as a comment in recent IRPM report. A fine for the Lakanal House Fire amounted to £270 000 whilst FirstPort Limited who took over the portfolio of Peverel Management Services was fined £360 000 including legal costs. A…
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Leasehold Houses under fire!
Leasehold houses sold with ground rents that double every 10 years have been making the owners feel as if their money is as good as burning. Future increases in the ground rents were so onerous it was making the houses difficult to sell. This is now being put right by at least one property developer with…
2 Rivers Property Management 