Residential Managing Agents regularly require the services of Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors and we have many clients in this sector. Through association with these clients we have built an understanding of the needs of residential managing agents.
The following questions often arise:
- As a professional residential managing agent do you have the time and resources to devote to maintenance planning and implementation?
- What standard of maintenance do the leaseholders require and what can they afford?
- Has a long term maintenance strategy been developed and is there adequate finance in place?
- How is reactive maintenance handled?
- How do you demonstrate value for money in maintenance expenditure and is this communicated to the leaseholders?
- Are you easily able to comply with the requirements of Section 20 of the Housing Act?
The instructions received and completed by Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors show that these questions can be answered, for example:
Condition Survey
A typical Condition Survey report describes each element of the building and its condition, recommends any required action and gives an indication of budget and timescale. This provides an ideal platform for maintenance planning, prioritisation and budgeting so that the building can be maintained on a timely basis.
If you would like to speak to us regarding a Condition Survey, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Asset Management Plan
Assisting a residential block manager usually starts with a formal Planned Maintenance Programme for larger developments and a Condition Report with an informal costed maintenance plan for smaller blocks or converted houses.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has conducted formal Planned Maintenance Programmes on numerous blocks of both modern and traditional construction from 50 units up to 600 units and on smaller properties from a simple converted Victorian house or a purpose built block of four flats.
Our methodical and analytical approach produces a searchable document from which budgets can easily be derived year by year and an individual year’s maintenance programme abstracted.
Our Planned Maintenance Programmes remain in use as an active management tool rather than being left on the shelf to gather dust.
Cyclical Maintenance Management
Efficient procurement and supervision of cyclical decoration and maintenance to residential blocks is essential in order to return value for money on the service charge and meet Managing Agents' accounting requirements under the Housing Act and other legislation.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is used to running maintenance programmes on large numbers of flats and tendering the works in a way that both meet Section 20 requirements and provide transparency and flexibility in budgeting for the Managing Agents and their leaseholder clients.
Whilst traditional managed blocks and other older developments need conventional maintenance and decoration on a regular basis, modern so called “maintenance free” blocks also require ongoing attention in the form of regular cleaning and renewal of mastic sealants and other perishable materials upon which modern design places reliance for waterproof integrity.
Flat roofs are a regular source of difficulty due to poor design or construction and feature highly in our Cyclical Maintenance Programmes.
Our Cyclical Maintenance expertise includes creating a Specification of Works, completing a competitive tendering process, ensuring all health and safety requirements are met including CDM, issuing an appropriate contract for the works, chairing site meetings, issuing client instructions, valuing and issuing interim payment certificates, certifying works completion, determining the final account and dealing with the defects liability period.