Changing Managing Agent in 2019 If the New Year has you considering a new property manager, here's some advice. Many leaseholders and directors of RMCs engage managing agent to look after and administer their property. However, there are always occasions when a leaseholder becomes unhappy with their property manager. Issues with managing agents can last for years and lead to bad feeling between parties. Whilst changing managing agent for your residential block or estate should go smoothly, it is a big decision and contains several steps that take time to complete. There is more to a great property manager than having the number of a good plumber on speed dial. They should understand the meaning of leases, know relevant landlord and tenant legislation and assist RMC directors with their rights and obligations. Managing agents can fall down in a number of areas including technical competence, presentation of accounts and health & safety compliancy. As the Lease Advisory Service says on their website: 'The role of a managing agent today is a complex one and requires a professional approach. To carry out the role requires knowledge of landlord and tenant law, building construction, health and safety inspections, basic accounting and more.' If you're daunted at the prospect of switching agents (perhaps you've never done it before) here's our advice on choosing your next managing agent. To learn about how Block Managment UK Ltd can better manage your property, watch the video case study that Vodafone did on us recently. Make enquiries early. Most leaseholders think about changing property manager near the end of their current service charge year. That makes sense. However, it's never too early to start making enquiries about your next managing agent should your current agent be falling down on the job. Block Management UK Ltd receives many enquiries about our services and, following an initial correspondence and quote, lines of communication can go very quiet for anything up to 3 to 6 months. Often RMC Directors and leaseholders give their current manager one last opportunity to resolve an outstanding issue or wait until the next director's AGM to discuss a new appointment. We understand this and are happy to pick up the conversation later, when the leaseholder is ready to move forward. Shop around. Leaseholders who have had a bad experience with a large, nationwide agent, may consider smaller, local firms next time round. And this of course happens vice versa. One size does not fit all. Whatever the size of the managing agent, the client ought to expect a blend of efficient accounting and admin systems, local knowledge of services and a personal on-site presence. Talk with your actual prospective property manager. Have a conversation with the property manager who will oversee your property before you sign. Preferably meet them at your property so that he or she can get a feel for the place and you can judge for yourself their responses to your questions. Request sample accounts. Ask to see examples of how the accounting will be presented. Do you understand them? Are the clear? This part of the agent's job is often a real test of the level of the systems your managing agent has in place. Understand what the agent can and cannot do. Get a clear list of the services on offer. How much will they help with the transfer of management from the old agents? Ask to see their handover list in advance so you know what documents you’ll need to make the transfer go smoothly. Switching agents to Block Management UK Ltd. With help from Block Management UK Ltd, appointing us as your new managing agent can go smoothly and quickly. If you complete our online form, most enquiries will receive a tender document that will include sample accounting statements, a handover list and a clearly-detailed fees proposal. You can then decide if we're the right managing agents for you. We can handle the transfer of paperwork, handover of keys and transfer of funds for you and can be up and running, with a dedicated property manager assigned to your property, anytime from three months to one week following our initial meeting with you* We're happy to meet or talk with other RMC directors or leaseholders. We're experienced in complicated management transfers and can advise you with a simple phone call. Visit our Contact Us page to speak with your nearest local office. Subject to conditions of your lease and the delivery to us of all relevant documents and information. For further information on taking on a managing agent, visit the following websites: Leasehold Advisory Service The government funded, independent body that offers advice on residential leasehold and park homes. They offer downloadable advice guides, podcast and telephone advice lines. www.lease-advice.org Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) ARMA represents firms of managing agents. ranging from small family run businesses looking after a few blocks to national companies managing tens of thousands of flats across numerous developments. They offer some advice on managing blocks and on the government’s official complaints scheme. https://arma.org.uk Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) The Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) is the leading professional body for residential property management professionals. IRPM provides learning and qualifications in order to raise standards in the management of residential property in the UK https://irpm.org.uk To see Block Management UK Ltd at work watch the recent business case study video that our communications partner Vodafone made about us. For a free online quote, visit our Quotation Form. (04 January 2019* )

Changing Managing Agent in 2019

If the New Year has you considering a new property manager, here's some advice.

Many leaseholders and directors of RMCs engage managing agent to look after and administer their property. However, there are always occasions when a leaseholder becomes unhappy with their property manager.

Issues with managing agents can last for years and lead to bad feeling between parties. Whilst changing managing agent for your residential block or estate should go smoothly, it is a big decision and contains several steps that take time to complete.

There is more to a great property manager than having the number of a good plumber on speed dial. They should understand the meaning of leases, know relevant landlord and tenant legislation and assist RMC directors with their rights and obligations.

Managing agents can fall down in a number of areas including technical competence, presentation of accounts and health & safety compliancy.

As the Lease Advisory Service says on their website:

'The role of a managing agent today is a complex one and requires a professional approach. To carry out the role requires knowledge of landlord and tenant law, building construction, health and safety inspections, basic accounting and more.'

If you're daunted at the prospect of switching agents (perhaps you've never done it before) here's our advice on choosing your next managing agent.

To learn about how Block Managment UK Ltd can better manage your property, watch the video case study that Vodafone did on us recently.

Make enquiries early.

Most leaseholders think about changing property manager near the end of their current service charge year. That makes sense. However, it's never too early to start making enquiries about your next managing agent should your current agent be falling down on the job.

Block Management UK Ltd receives many enquiries about our services and, following an initial correspondence and quote, lines of communication can go very quiet for anything up to 3 to 6 months. Often RMC Directors and leaseholders give their current manager one last opportunity to resolve an outstanding issue or wait until the next director's AGM to discuss a new appointment.

We understand this and are happy to pick up the conversation later, when the leaseholder is ready to move forward.

Shop around.

Leaseholders who have had a bad experience with a large, nationwide agent, may consider smaller, local firms next time round. And this of course happens vice versa. One size does not fit all. Whatever the size of the managing agent, the client ought to expect a blend of efficient accounting and admin systems, local knowledge of services and a personal on-site presence.

Talk with your actual prospective property manager.

Have a conversation with the property manager who will oversee your property before you sign. Preferably meet them at your property so that he or she can get a feel for the place and you can judge for yourself their responses to your questions.

Request sample accounts.

Ask to see examples of how the accounting will be presented. Do you understand them? Are the clear? This part of the agent's job is often a real test of the level of the systems your managing agent has in place.

Understand what the agent can and cannot do.

Get a clear list of the services on offer. How much will they help with the transfer of management from the old agents? Ask to see their handover list in advance so you know what documents you’ll need to make the transfer go smoothly.

Switching agents to Block Management UK Ltd.

With help from Block Management UK Ltd, appointing us as your new managing agent can go smoothly and quickly.

If you complete our online form, most enquiries will receive a tender document that will include sample accounting statements, a handover list and a clearly-detailed fees proposal. You can then decide if we're the right managing agents for you.

We can handle the transfer of paperwork, handover of keys and transfer of funds for you and can be up and running, with a dedicated property manager assigned to your property, anytime from three months to one week following our initial meeting with you*

We're happy to meet or talk with other RMC directors or leaseholders.

We're experienced in complicated management transfers and can advise you with a simple phone call. Visit our Contact Us page to speak with your nearest local office.

*Subject to conditions of your lease and the delivery to us of all relevant documents and information.

For further information on taking on a managing agent, visit the following websites:

Leasehold Advisory Service

The government funded, independent body that offers advice on residential leasehold and park homes.

They offer downloadable advice guides, podcast and telephone advice lines.
www.lease-advice.org

Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA)

ARMA represents firms of managing agents. ranging from small family run businesses looking after a few blocks to national companies managing tens of thousands of flats across numerous developments.
They offer some advice on managing blocks and on the government’s official complaints scheme.
https://arma.org.uk

Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM)

The Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) is the leading professional body for residential property management professionals. IRPM provides learning and qualifications in order to raise standards in the management of residential property in the UK
https://irpm.org.uk

To see Block Management UK Ltd at work watch the recent business case study video that our communications partner Vodafone made about us.

For a free online quote, visit our Quotation Form.

(04 January 2019 )

To speak to one of our experts about how we can manage your property, please click the 'Get a Quote' button below, fill out the form and a member of our Business Development Team will contact you.