Non Property management companies

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Does anyone know any decent property management companies in Bournemouth? The owners of the flats in our block are looking to change our management company as we are not getting a good service and they keep increasing their fees. If anyone knows of a decent company, I would appreciate it.
 
GrahamH said:
I know a bad one! We're in the same situation, have you managed to get control off the old one?
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Yes, we have right to manage, so can ditch them but it's not proving easy to find a decent one. Other friends are with other companies who they are equally unhappy with. We could take control ourselves but that would prove very time consuming...
 
I have 35 years experience of these companies. Believe me they are almost universally dreadful. The Mayor if London’s office conducted a report into the leasehold management industry and the conclusion was that it is endemically corrupt. If you do have to change managing agent don’t automatically assume you are going to find one that is better. It is unlikely. My only positive word of advice is go fo the smallest one you can find. You then might actually get someone who cares about your building rather than people who just want to be paid for doing nothing.
 
I can suggest Rebbecks, based in Bournemouth Square. Don't think we've really had any trouble or drama with them over the years.
 
clintclease said:
I have 35 years experience of these companies. Believe me they are almost universally dreadful. The Mayor if London’s office conducted a report into the leasehold management industry and the conclusion was that it is endemically corrupt. If you do have to change managing agent don’t automatically assume you are going to find one that is better. It is unlikely. My only positive word of advice is go fo the smallest one you can find. You then might actually get someone who cares about your building rather than people who just want to be paid for doing nothing.
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Time for a law change me thinks.
 
Self management is generally to be avoided except as interim measure. Usually dependent on active retired ex-professional - eg accountant - in the block. But then you have a big problem when they move on or simply want to retire completely. Also, awful problems can accrue with self management - such as arrears - which then ultimately have to be sorted out by a professional firm. Don't believe the above comments about all these firms being "dreadful" - and this probably refers more to leasehold situations, where the laws are much more lax. Remember that professional charges are still quite a small percentage of overall freehold costs - eg. insurance, water/sewage, gardening, general maintenance. More often than not, the problem is with some of the actual flat owners - who have blocked appropriate maintenance/modernisation/ repairs over the years - resulting in hefty bills or ill-feeling amongst other owners.
My first recommendation is to form a strong management board of realistic and like minded owners and then interview various firms to see if you can work together with them.
 
No, it really is that the management companies are ripping people off.

If there's nothing that can be done to stop them from awarding contracts to themselves for overinflated prices, then they will do so. And if they refuse to hand over the details of the tender process then there's nothing you can do about it.
 
sensitiveman said:
Self management is generally to be avoided except as interim measure. Usually dependent on active retired ex-professional - eg accountant - in the block. But then you have a big problem when they move on or simply want to retire completely. Also, awful problems can accrue with self management - such as arrears - which then ultimately have to be sorted out by a professional firm. Don't believe the above comments about all these firms being "dreadful" - and this probably refers more to leasehold situations, where the laws are much more lax. Remember that professional charges are still quite a small percentage of overall freehold costs - eg. insurance, water/sewage, gardening, general maintenance. More often than not, the problem is with some of the actual flat owners - who have blocked appropriate maintenance/modernisation/ repairs over the years - resulting in hefty bills or ill-feeling amongst other owners.
My first recommendation is to form a strong management board of realistic and like minded owners and then interview various firms to see if you can work together with them.
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Thanks for the tips:)
 
GrahamH said:
No, it really is that the management companies are ripping people off.

If there's nothing that can be done to stop them from awarding contracts to themselves for overinflated prices, then they will do so. And if they refuse to hand over the details of the tender process then there's nothing you can do about it.
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There is clearly an issue. Problems get reported but often not acted upon until the issue becomes worse and they can then get their cut from an expensive job. This is my experience. I suspect there is a conflict of interest in terms of which companies jobs are awarded to and am not convinced the insurance rates are competitive either. If you scrutinise, they are less likely to do it so much, but everyone is busy and it's hard to organise everyone. The companies know this. A friend of mine is a director of his block and he and the other director specifically told their management company not to arrange for scaffolding to be put up for a suspected leaky window because they wanted to check first what the problem was (window or something else) through a cherry picker if it was necessary to check externally. The management company only went and authorised the scaffolding to be put up on the whole of the front of their building anyway. Yes, for what is suspected to be a leaky window. When my friend and the other director told them to get it taken down, the management company suddenly went silent and stopped communicating.

We want to change but need to get our jobs finished first as new management companies often won't take on new jobs. The moral of the story is to buy a house if you can afford it. Yes, potentially more can go wrong and the cost doesn't get split but at least you're in control of it. If you can't afford it, buy a flat with a view to selling it for a house as soon as possible.
 
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