This issue of News on the Block includes a special recruitment feature and some articles to help during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Covid 19 P 31 - Emergency practice directions P 32 - Managing property during the pandemic P 33 - Force Majeure and Covid 19
£4.50 Issue 106 / 2020 The Magazine for Apartment Building Management Recruitment Feature Special edition
contents ISSUE 106 news 5 Housebuilders face court action
indepth
Recruitment
over scandal A watchdog says that leasehold homeowners have been “misled and taken advantage of”
17 Finders… keepers? It’s not just about recruiting the right people, it’s about creating the right environment 19 What does your social media profile say about you? It’s easy to check out people before interviews, so don't let your profiles let you down 20 Conflict management for property managers There are steps to take to avoid conflict, writes Nick Regnier
7 Industry coalition demands
cladding emergency fund Industry leaders have joined forces to demand an emergency fund from government to make buildings with cladding safe.
9 Councils under fire for missing targets Eight local planning authorities will have some of their planning powers curbed after failing to meet strict government targets Innovators challenged to help house and building sector reduce carbon
inresidence
covid19
13 Make sure your lift doesn’t let you down Gavin McGarty explains how one of the UK’s largest lift portfolios is kept on the move
31 Emergency practice directions issued Cassandra Zanelli outlines
the directions in place for the first-tier and upper tribunals during the crisis
inbox
32 Managing property during the pandemic The key issues now facing managing leasehold property 33 Force majeure and Covid-19 What affect will the coronavirus crisis have on business contracts?
14 Questions and Call of the month! Readers ask the experts
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@newsontheblock News on the Block
News on the Block is the leading independent magazine providing help and advice to flat owners, landlords, managing agents and their professional advisors. www.newsontheblock.com SMS US: 0786 002 1858 inassociation 35 What is happening with residential property management? We preview this year's legendary IRPM Seminar
FORMORE INFORMATION www.newsontheblock.com
22 How property law experts can help recruiters Recruitment and law professionals need to support each other, urges Laura Severn 25 How fun leads to a healthier workforce Happy employees are more likely to step up with passion, purpose and energy 27 Why use a recruitment company? A recruitment company will help you find your ‘five-headed giraffe’
intheknow
37 Upcoming events in the industry As many events are postponed, News on the Block is
inpractice
launching a series of webinars for the next fewmonths
29 Is home
ownership still the millennial milestone? Laura Croggon looks at whether a lifestyle changes makes an impact on first-time buyers
directory 34 Help at hand A selection of companies offering help to leaseholders
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news
Renters hit by Covid-19 to be protected from eviction
ALEP lecture focuses on missing landlords
R enters of both private and social homes who are affected by Covid-19 will be protected from eviction for three months. As News on the Block went to press, Boris Johnson announced that legislation was being brought forward to prevent renters losing their home if they face difficulties “through no fault of their own”. The announcement came after criticism from some that only homeowners were being protected by government during the crisis. House buyers who find themselves in difficulties are being given a three-month mortgage holiday. Chancellor Rishi Sunak told a press conference that borrowers would not have to pay towards mortgage costs for three months “while they get back on their feet”. Answering criticism over the protection, the Prime Minister said: ““We will be bringing forward legislation which will prevent renters suffering no fault eviction that kind of thing, protect people who face difficulties through no fault of their own. “Nor can you penalise people for acting when they follow government advice. Everybody is entitled to protection, that’s
what we will provide.” Housing Minister Robert Jenrick set out the government’s planned legislation, which includes ensuring landlords cannot start eviction proceedings against tenants who struggle to pay rent for three months. To support the move, the three- month mortgage holiday would be extended to buy-to-let mortgage borrowers. SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson said: “We know that the situation is complex. Many landlords are reliant on their income to survive, so simply enforcing a rent holiday could just shift the problem rather than resolve it. “But where landlords have buy- to-let mortgages, banks should be able to offer them the same deal as homeowners, to pass on to their tenants.” • Lockdowns to help thwart the spread of coronavirus has led to solidarity on the balconies of Europe’s apartments. The trend began in Italy where social media video footage showed residents joining together to sing or play instruments. Opera singer Maurizio Marchini went viral when footage appeared showing him performing Nessun Dorma from his balcony in Florence.
L easehold homeowners have been “misled and taken advantage of” after an investigation by the competition watchdog found “worrying evidence”. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a damning report following its probe and said it would take action against housebuilders. It has also called for a change in the law and for refunds to be paid. The CMA said many homeowners found themselves in “serious traps” after being misled by developers. It has not disclosed any names so far as it continues to investigate. T he impact of missing landlords on leasehold enfranchisement cases was the focus of the annual lecture of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP). Sector professionals debated the issue during the lecture, which was hosted by ALEP’s honorary president, Damian Greenish. Mark Chick, from the landlord and tenant team at Bishop & Sewell, offered step-by-step advice on how to navigate such cases through his presentation, Chick’s Top Tips. ALEP founder and director Anna Bailey said: “Enfranchisement cases with missing landlords frustrate both sector professionals and leaseholders – and it’s not an uncommon scenario. “This year’s lecture really drilled down on the issues faced in these instances and I am pleased to say that delegates enjoyed debate and discussion; as well as leaving with practical advice and tips they can use in their everyday professional lives. Reform to leasehold legislation was also discussed. Indeed, while none of us know
the outcome of future reform, I can proudly say that ALEP will be ready to face these changes.” Sir Peter Bottomley MP also addressed delegates in a special presentation and shared his view on missing landlords. He also commented on the current state of leasehold legislation. As father of the House of Commons and co-chairman of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Leasehold and Commonhold Reform, Mr Bottomley called for ALEP experts to continue supporting and guiding the sector through inevitable changes to leasehold legislation. He urged delegates to join together to “make the whole thing [leasehold] better for all”. Anna Favre, from Cripps Pemberton Greenish, and Tanfield Chambers’ Mark Loveday looked at vesting orders, the right of first refusal and the original missing landlord legislation. Henrietta Hammonds, of Beckett and Kay, looked at the role valuers play in such cases and shared advice on marriage value considerations, Section 9A factors and tips for valuers navigating missing landlord cases.
Housebuilders face court action over scandal
once you’re living there you want to feel secure and happy. But for thousands of leasehold homeowners, this is not the case. “We’ll be looking carefully at the problems we’ve found, which include escalating ground rents and misleading information, and will be taking our own enforcement action directly in the sector shortly.” The watchdog said it was “set to launch enforcement action” against companies that had broken consumer protection law. Housebuilders could be forced to sign legal commitments or face being taken to court.
in 2017. As well as escalating ground rent it found that some homebuyers were “misled” about converting the leasehold into freehold. It also found that buyers were being charged “excessive and disproportionate fees” for routine maintenance or making home improvements . Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s chief executive, said: “We have found worrying evidence that people who buy leasehold properties are being misled and taken advantage of. “Buying a home is one of the most important and expensive investments you can make, and
It found that some buyers were not told upfront that a property was leasehold and what this meant. By the time people found out what owning a leasehold was, including regular ground rent charges, they were often unable to pull out of the sale or would have found it very difficult. In some cases, ground rents doubled every 10 years. The increase is often built into contracts, meaning people can struggle to sell their homes and find themselves trapped. The CMA opened a probe last year in the wake of the “leasehold prisoner” scandal that blew up
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Local housing allowance rate increase welcomed
E state agents need to embrace change and technology to survive the impact of the Cvoid-19 financial fallout. That’s the view of online property portal Residential People, which believes many high street agents could suffer significant losses due to unprecedented times. It says that as self-isolation and lockdown guidelines continue, agents should use technology to continue to generate business. The portal’s co-founder and director, Christopher May, said: “The property sector has faced big crises in the past and bounced back, so I see no reason why the market shouldn’t do the same this time around. Residential People strongly believes that the industry has the ability to not only make it through the dark days that lie ahead, but to expand to new heights, just as long as the sector is ready to embrace change.” His views were echoed by Sam Massey, head of professional training and qualifications for SDL Property Management. He added that as well as people within the industry, MPs had also spoken out following a debate on the issue. “The debate was hosted by Estate agents are urged to embrace tech in wake of Covid-19 crisis Labour MP Hilary Benn, who said some leaseholders in Leeds were paying an extra £670 every month, in addition to service charges and their mortgage, to cover a ‘waking watch’ because of fire safety risks in their building,” Mr Massey said. “During the same meeting, David Lammy, MP for Tottenham spoke about 432 local flat owners who could not get a mortgage or re-mortgage because of dangerous cladding on their building.” Fexco Property Services’ chief executive Niall McCann said the company was “proud to be part” of the coalition that had taken action.
T he government’s decision to increase local housing allowance (LHA) by 30% of local market rents in response to the coronavirus pandemic has been welcomed. A spokesman from London Councils said the move was a big step forward in preventing homelessness. They added: “The government has made the right call. Raising
and inadequate LHA rates have been a key factor behind growing numbers of private sector tenants falling into arrears and losing their homes. “Our research last year found 45% of the 200,000 Londoners claiming LHA did not receive enough to cover their rent. Only 8% of private sector rents across the capital are covered by current LHA rates.”
local housing allowance is a big step forward in preventing homelessness. “Boroughs are concerned the combination of Covid-19’s economic impact and London’s severe housing pressures still threatens a spike in homelessness – but this decision will help keep many Londoners secure in their homes. “In London, we face the worst homelessness crisis in the country
Coronavirus measures for landlords are welcomed
G overnment action to coronavirus outbreak has been welcomed by the UK’s leading landlord organisations. The Residential Landlords Association and the National Landlords Association said the three-month buy-to-let mortgage payment holiday would take pressure off support landlords and tenants affected by the
because of difficulties arising from the current situation. There does need to be some flexibility, though, such as with dealing with a tenant engaging in anti-social behaviour. “We would like to see further measures taken including pausing the final phase of restricting mortgage interest relief to the basic rate of income tax due in April.”
landlords. The organisations said in a joint statement: “Our priority is to ensure that tenants are secure in their homes during this crisis. The mortgage payment holiday will take a lot of pressure off landlords enabling them to be as flexible as possible with tenants facing difficulties with rent payments. No responsible landlord will be considering evicting tenants
Industry coalition demands cladding emergency fund
P roperty management companies and industry leaders have joined forces to demand an emergency fund from government to make buildings with cladding safe. A total of 20 organisations joined campaigners and residents to send an open letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking the government to support leaseholders left to pay the price of unsafe cladding. The move follows new evidence that revealed the scale of the cladding crisis in the wake of Grenfell could affect up to 500,000 people. The Association of Residential
Scanlans, said leaseholders were being left to find thousands of pounds to resolve a situation which was not of their making. He added: “Those wanting to sell are unable to do so while their properties are ‘blighted’ by the presence of cladding or other materials on their buildings which, according to the latest government guidance, is unsafe. “Recourse to the original developers is difficult and most blocks fall outside of building warranties. “There are hundreds of blocks of apartments in a similar situation up and down the country, affecting many thousands of leaseholders.”
Managing Agents (ARMA) is one of the organisations that signed the open letter. ARMA’s CEO Nigel Glen said: “The Grenfell tragedy highlighted the dangers of ACM cladding, but it has also revealed a much wider building safety crisis which could affect over half-a- million people. “These buildings are being fixed by building owners and managing agents as quickly as possible but, without Government support, the process could take decades and leave leaseholders with life- changing bills on top of the anxiety that has already been caused.” Ian Magenis, a partner at
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news
Innovators challenged to help house and building sector reduce carbon
Scanlans adds to management portfolio P roperty management firm and surveyors Scanlans has added 68 energy-efficient homes in Leeds to its management portfolio. The development, on the city’s South Bank, is part of the Ironworks development in Holbeck Urban Village. The Ironworks development is a joint scheme by Igloo Regeneration and PfP Capital and is made up of 53 apartments, 15 townhouses, two ground floor commercial units and parking. Every home will have access to outdoor space via private balconies, rooftop terraces, hidden gardens and open spaces. Senior property manager at Scanlans’ Leeds office, Michael Willans, said: “This appointment demonstrates the growing strength of our Leeds-based operation as we continue to win new business across the city. “We are delighted to win the instruction of what will be a prominent residential block in the heart of the city.”
heating solutions
• Leveraging data from end users, infrastructure and networks to create new services and business models that accelerate the transition to net zero • Enabling active, interoperable control systems that delivers more efficient and flexible operation of the whole building & estate energy system • Delivering improved living environments. A shortlist of SMEs will be generated and must be available to attend a workshop at the Catapult innovation hub in Birmingham on the 5th and 6th of May. The closing date for applications is noon on the 30th March 2020. Julie Alexander, Director of Technology & Innovation at Places for People said: “Climate change is the most pressing challenge of our time, and with the construction sector and buildings being the most prolific polluters, we need to be much more determined as a sector to tackle this issue head on.”
S mall businesses are being urged to take part in a challenge to develop innovative products or services to help the housing and building sector improve its carbon footprint. Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) has teamed up with Places for People, Geovation and Pineapple Partners to offer business incubation and support to help innovators secure investment and unlock new routes to market. Successful SMEs will be part of the fourth intake to the Innovator Support Platform (ISP), which offers access to advanced energy system
expertise from across the ESC alongside a wider network of around 40 firms offering a range of specialist business support. The ISP aims is to help innovators unlock new routes- to-market, secure investment and breakdown barriers to growth, with at least two innovator challenges running each year. The Zero Carbon: Smart Buildings & Estates challenge could include innovators working on: • Integrating innovative low carbon generation or infrastructure technologies into the building or estate fabric • Zero carbon domestic
Councils under fire for missing targets
E ight local planning authorities will have some of their planning powers curbed after failing to meet strict government targets for building new houses. Figures published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) also show more than 100 councils have missed targets. But eight authorities have been singled out as they failed to deliver at least 45% of the target number of homes the government deemed as needed in their area over the past three years. The authorities are the City of London, New Forest, North Hertfordshire, Basildon, Three Rivers, Eastbourne, Thanet
government was to hit its targets. She added: “The government has committed to delivering 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s but, as these figures show, many LPAs will need to identify additional sites to accommodate the latest HDT results. This may also necessitate a strategic review of existing green belt boundaries or increasing densities on existing allocated sites. “Attaining the volume of housing needed to sustain the UK’s growing population requires a co-ordinated approach to viability, planning, investment and delivery and LPAs need to work closely with private sector partners to unlock unallocated and undeveloped sites, or face being stripped of some planning powers.”
and Havering. As a result, their planning policy will become subject to the “presumption in favour of sustainable development”. This means they will be forced to give greater weight to the government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) relative to their local policies when deciding whether to accept planning applications. The figures showed that 218 LPAs were reported to have delivered 95% or more of the targets set for them and will face no action. Mary-Jane O’Neill, head of planning in London and the South East for property consultancy firm Lambert Smith Hampton said the UK needed a co-ordinated approach if the
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appointments
New manager to help boost customer services
C ustomer services is being strengthened at a property
customer service to enable us to remain industry leaders.” Welcoming Ms Olowe to the compapny, managing director Richard Daver said: “We are pleased to introduce Adenike to her new role at Rendall & Rittner. Her knowledge and experience will help to implement a strong process within our new Customer Service Team. We look forward to seeing the future results that will follow with strengthening our customer care.”
furnishing company, Loaf. She said: “Customer service is not only an innate quality of mine
but I also have a passion for service excellence.
management firm after welcoming a new recruit.
Customer service is a pivotal part of any business and drives business
Build to rent director to help drive growth
Rendall & Ritner has appointed Adenike Olowe as customer service manager. Ms Olowe has a strong background in customer service and previously worked in customer service teams for Gucci and home
performance. “I am excited to share my
wealth of experience in this area and look forward to helping shape and improve Rendall & Rittner’s
R esidential property to its build to rent sector. Lee Richards, who joined the company two years ago as head of property standards, has taken up the appointment immediately manager FirstPort has appointed a new director as the sector becomes the industry’s fastest growing. Before joining FirstPort Mr Richards was managing director of a national property lettings business, managing large portfolios for clients such as the Ministry of Defence and Serco. Mr Richards said: “The demand for good quality rental property has never been greater as the private rental sector expands to accommodate changing trends, with build to rent being at the forefront of this growth.” FirstPort’s director of business development, Martin King, said: “There are currently some 40,000 occupiers of homes that were specifically built to rent in the UK. “But there are another 100,000 currently under construction or in the planning pipeline. Lee’s appointment is part of our strategy to be the property manager of choice for these large scale institutional investments.”
New head of accounts following promotion
S pecialist block management agency Strangford Management has promoted Adnan Ahmed as head of accounts. Mr Ahmed joined the company
again that he is able to surpass expectations,
He is now responsible
for the overall performance of the accounts department as well as the company accounting function, reporting directly to managing director, Michael Paul.
both internally and with clients. This promotion is well deserved and was a natural progression in Adnan’s career. “He will be leading the
in 2017 as a service charge accountant, where he was
responsible for the accounting function of a portfolio of clients as well as overseeing the internal standards of the accounts department.
accounts department in a time of great expansion for the company and we are grateful to have his expertise on hand.”
Mr Paul said: ‘Adnan has proved himself time and time
Law firm appoints newmembers to board
T wo appointments have been made to the firm Bishop & Sewell. Mark Chick has taken over as senior partner while Michael Kashis has been appointed managing partner for strategy and implementation. Mr Chick joined the central London firm in 2001, originally specialising in property litigation. management board of law He is now recognised as the leading authority in leasehold reform in the UK. In 2006 he became a member of the partnership and joined
and an equity member in 2017. He has worked for a number of international and multinational firms and institutions as well as the European Commission. Founding partner, Stephen Bishop, said: “We are delighted to announce these two board appointments, which are a key part of the delivery of our vision for Bishop & Sewell for 2020 and beyond. Michael has exceptional skills in the management arena and Mark has a comprehensive knowledge of the firm, having been key to its growth over the last 10 years.”
the senior management team in 2011. As well as a director and founding committee member of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners, Mr Chick has developed Bishop & Sewell’s landlord and tenant practice. He said: “I am delighted to have the privilege of leading Bishop & Sewell as we move forward into our next phase of growth.” Mr Kashis joined the company six years ago as head of corporate and became a partner in 2016
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Covid P 31 - Emergency practice dire P 32 - Managing property duri P 33 - Force Majeure and Covid
IMPORTANT lessons to learn from poorly drafted leases
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Service frequencies differ depending on the age and the number of floors lifts serve but these frequencies are commonly on a four, six or 12 times a year basis. More visits are generally speaking always better for long-term reliability but are also heavily related to use. Regular, quality maintenance and parts replacement can help delay upgrades and modernisations. Here are some of the maintenance tips we look out for to increase a lift’s life. Visual Inspection: Our site team will visually inspect lifts regularly. They are looking for things such as bumps, scrapes, the level with the landing when its parked, jerky doors or flickering lights. Residents can also keep an eye out for these things and report to their development/property manager. Be kind to your doors: Almost 70% of lift breakdowns at FirstPort are door related. Propping the doors open for any extended period of time (over 30 seconds), pushing or forcing the doors back as they are closing can cause issues. If the lift senses that there’s something not quite right with a door, it won’t run for obvious safety reasons. Don’t overload your lift: It just won’t run for safety reasons. Cleaning: The car door tracks, hall door tracks and infra-red detectors need to be cleaned regularly. A clean, slightly damp, cloth can work wonders and prevent some of those door issues mentioned above. Cabin lighting: Our development manager can ensure with the service agent to make sure to replace non-working lights during regular checks. Usually, this part is not included in the contract, so we ask the service team for a replacement. Written record of any issues: It is recommended we maintain a written record of all the issues. You can then easily explain the problems when the service team comes for scheduled maintenance. If your lift breaks down, take a breath! Almost all lifts of any age will try to reset themselves in the event of something not working. If a lift doesn’t appear to be doing what you would expect, give it 10 minutes and then try to operate it before calling the lift company. One-in-four callouts are to lifts that have subsequently re-set and are now working fine. Share the 10-minute rule with your fellow residents, it may save, time, cost and frustration. While the maintenance crew will address issues such as worn out parts and lubrication, follow these tips and your lift will keep going up and down for years!
Make sure your lift doesn’t let you down
W hen you install a lift, the before it needs to be modernised or upgraded. Its lifespan depends on a number of factors including the frequency of use or journeys it undertakes, the quality of the original installation and of course maintenance over time. Some lifts can last well beyond this expectation is that it will have a lifespan of around 15 years lifecycle and, presently, the FirstPort record is a massive 36 years at the moment – a true veteran in the lift world. During the latter part of its life, the system is likely to have decreasing performance and increased service calls. This is why a diligent property manager will always ensure the annual service charge budget has sufficient funds to cover maintenance. It is also important that the reserve fund also has sufficient funds to cover a possible replacement that may be required after 15–20 years in service.
The day in the life of a lift There are many factors that influence the expected life of a lift. The three main ones are: • The original design and installation • How often it’s used • How well it’s maintained Keeping a lift healthy If a lift is not maintained regularly, its lifespan could decline drastically. In these circumstances such a unit might require modernising in less than a decade. When maintained well, a lift will generally only need to be modernised to meet the latest standards. Gavin McGarty explains how FirstPort keeps one of the UK’s largest lift portfolios on the move
Gavin McGarty, is technical manager for lift maintenance at FirstPort
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Covid 19 P 31 - Emergency practice directions P 32 - Managing property during the pandemic P 33 - Force Majeure and Covid 19
£4.50 Issue 106 / 2020 The Magazine for Apartment Building Management Recruitment Feature Special edition
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QUESTION My block hasn't had a fire risk assessment for some time. How often are they required to be done and who is responsible? ANSWER The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the regulation which most explicitly defines the need for Fire Risk Assessments to be carried out in the common areas of blocks of flats. There are various guidance documents and standards which provide detail on how to achieve compliance with that regulatory requirement, although they stop short on prescribing a specific review period. This is an intentional omission from the regulations because no two properties are the same: higher risk buildings will likely require significantly more frequent reviews than those lower risk buildings. By not prescribing a single review period other than ”regularly”, the regulations give the competent person the freedom to apply a sensible and manageable review date appropriate to the property that they are assessing. A good risk assessment should, among other things, include the recommended date of the next review. If the person responsible for managing the property choses to disregard this recommendation and apply their own review period, then this is likely to lead to risks arising and remaining unidentified
of significant risk to report back to the Property Manager accordingly. Therefore every risk assessment review should certainly take into account the findings of the previous risk assessments, but they should also be a fresh and objective report of risk at the property. To answer your question of responsibility, within an ordinary freeholder/leaseholder set-up, the freeholder has the ultimate responsibility for the safety and fire integrity of the communal areas. They are considered to be the duty holder and the responsible person for the block, but they will have likely delegated that responsibility, through formal contract, to a specialist managing Aagent. This may be slightly different where there is an RMC in place or there is no formal management contract. Indeed, many agents choose to act on a consultancy- only basis for the directors of RMC companies, acting as knowledgeable advisors, but leaving them both responsible and liable for fire risk management. It will very much depend on the terms of any management agreement, but RMC directors should be aware of their obligations to manage all aspects of Risk at their property. Gregg Masters is head of client services at 4Site Consulting QUESTION I am enquiring to see if you know of any written protocols/ advice from any source which
at the property. Unless such a delay has a
reasonable justification, it could also lead to enforcement action from the authorities. There are times when it may be considered reasonably practicable and wholly appropriate to delay the completion of a risk assessment, but this should never be for any significant period of time and only decided upon on a case-by- case basis (with any justification recorded accordingly). In our experience, most residential block fire risk assessments have annual review dates applied to them, with some very low risk properties having anything between 18–36 month review dates, although the latter are rare. It is worth noting that there is some conflicting guidance (not regulation) available which suggests that there is a difference between a review and a new risk assessment, suggesting that a review should only addressing the status of the existing risks noted from the last risk assessment, making it a shorter process overall. To dispel this myth, I can confirm, in our capacity as risk assessors for residential property, the process of reviewing only prior-identified risks at a property can never actually work in practice, because good and competent risk assessors will not ignore new risks that become apparent on site simply because they fall outside of the scope of their inspection. They are duty and morally bound to highlight and evaluate all areas
ISSUE 106APRIL 129 Finchley Road, London NW3 6HY Tel 0203 538 8875 enquiries@newsontheblock.com www.newsontheblock.com Founder and Director Nicolas Shulman - nic@newsontheblock.com Publishing & Events Director Louise Newton - louise@newsontheblock.com Advertising Nik Trevillion - nikt@newsontheblock.com Production & Editorial Vikki Morlang - vikki@newsontheblock.com Events Charlotte Benton-Hughes - charlottebh@newsontheblock.com Design H. Ezgi Ece ISSN 1476-766X NewsontheBlock is published by Property Ink Ltd. ©All Rights Reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced or used in whole or in part without prior permission in writing froma director of Property Ink Ltd. Every care is takenwith artwork and film submitted for publication. However, Property Ink Ltd cannot be held responsible for any loss or damages incurred. Material contained in thismagazine is for general information only and is not intended to be relied upon by individual readers inmaking or refraining from making any specific commercial or investment decision. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained beforemaking any such decisions. The opinions expressed in the articles are strictly those of the authors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All prices and offers correct at time of going to press but subject to change. Property Ink Ltd does not accept any liability for any loss suffered by anyone as a result of using thismagazine.
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Call of theMonth
helps block managers apply the coronavirus rules to those that live in flats. Most folk here adhere to the general advice when it comes to ‘staying put’ but the block as a whole is vulnerable as residents are ‘buzzing’ in those that don’t permanently live here – deliveries/ relatives/tradesmen etc. ANSWER Thank you for your email enquiry. As far as we understand things (although at present many things are constantly changing) ARMA (Association of Residential Managing Agents) have released some guidance for property manager. A link to their guidance can be found on their website: https://arma.org.uk/downloader/ tzg/200326F_COVID-19_-_BEST_ PRACTICE_GUIDELINES_FOR_ PROPERTY_MANAGERS_v3.pdf Hope that helps. Yashmin Mistry, Partner at JPC Law
Thanks to Adiuvo – specialist out-of-hours and call-handling solutions for the property management industry
W e hope everyone is fit and well and not too stressed dealing with the pandemic. In amongst preparing for home working and reviewing policies and procedures at the early stages of Covid-19, we are finding we are receiving multiple calls. The majority of them were from concerned callers and possible self-isolation cases. Of the 48 Covid-19 calls we have had to date, only one has been regarded as a
confirmed case and required further action; however that included a full decontamination on a Sunday
at two hours’ notice which came with a cost of £750 per floor of 8 flats.
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Property management law is our speciality. Whatever the tenure and whether it's residential, mixed-use or commercial - it's all under one roof.
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Residential Litigation Commercial Litigation Real Estate
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Finders… keepers?
W e’re living in a rapidly changing world: politically, environmentally, socially and economically. Uncertainty has a tangible and immediate effect on business and markets. In recruitment there is concern regarding the increasing – and global – issue of diminishing skills. In attracting and retaining talent, we face the challenge of a potential talent shortage in what is becoming an increasingly candidate driven market. But there are some successful strategies that not only attract, but provide continuing opportunity for employees. Developing people We’re in an age of flexible working, job hopping and diminishing brand loyalty. Recruitment sector research indicates millennials stay in a job for less than two years before moving on for greater remuneration and career development. Employees are increasingly more selective and discerning in seeking greater opportunities for progression from their employers. That’s why it’s not just about finding the right people for our businesses. It’s also about what we do to help them develop in, and beyond, their roles to ensure greater well being and job satisfaction and ultimately build greater loyalty. In short, it’s about talent retention: what we do to make sure we keep them when their expectations are high. In recent years we have seen significant change in the education and employment landscape. Overall, unemployment has fallen to a 44-year low, according to Office of National Statistics figures in December last year. And the proportion of those employed in professional services has grown by nearly 4% over the last ten years. In the last five years, in real estate-related business, employment has grown by 46,000, ONS data from February 2020 shows. However, across the legal sector, there is a perceived talent shortage. Therefore, strategies for re-skilling and developing staff are a vital part of the employer’s proposition.
providers, are developing practical and effective solutions to “gain and retain” staff. At JB Leitch we’ve keenly supported the apprenticeship programme, and have seen 25 apprentices completing programs over the last five years, with an additional nine apprentices currently working across the business. But what of providing pathways and incentives for all employees irrespective of their position? Of course this will be contingent on the size and nature of the business and the roles it supports, but for larger and more diverse organisations opportunities for training and development can become an inherent part of operations. We support specialised academic progression (CILEx, PQE) and develop and deliver CPD accredited training programmes for staff and clients. Our strategy is to recognise, support and realise individual professional potential through personalised learning and development plans. We also recognise that it’s equally important to consider additional factors which will influence a team’s commitment. We’ve spent time developing resources and benefits that recognise the employee “in the round” enabling us to provide support or “softer” benefits on a more holistic basis. Our benefits range from free eye tests to season ticket loans and retail discounts to our employee assistance programme. In summary, if it boils down to what’s important to the candidate and what’s important to your business. To achieve this we need to be responsive, adaptable and committed. As we’ve seen, for attracting and retaining the best quality people, we should recognise that a good job is an opportunity, but also strive to provide opportunity in a good job. John Kelly is learning and development officer and Penny Simister is HR manager at JB Leitch
It’s not just about recruiting the right people, it’s about creating the right environment to help them grow say John Kelly and Penny Simister
Changing routes The routes into careers have also changed, as the recent National Apprenticeship Week in February highlighted. More direct opportunity to gain practical work experience alongside education is becoming increasingly attractive. Apprenticeships offer a good example of how employers, with training
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What does your social media profile say about you?
W hen a head of block management or head of accounts receives your CV from us, we suspect they will do one or more of the following: 1. Shortlist it (hopefully) and invite you for interview 2. Ask trusted peers in the industry if they know anything about you 3. Look you up online. Part of a reputable recruiter’s role is to vet candidates before passing CVs to prospective employers. However, many employers want to do their own ‘background checks’ and the easiest way of achieving that is to delve into your online presence. How will they find me online? Employers may simply Google your name along with your IRPM letters to narrow down the search. A Google search may find charitable donations you’ve made, your Facebook profile, forums that you have commented on etc. They will almost certainly look you up on LinkedIn, as long as they don’t give away that they have been looking at your profile! A probe into your Twitter account is easily done as the platform encourages openness. What are employers looking for? As most of us have open profiles on LinkedIn, employers will no doubt look at your activity levels. What do you ‘like’ or share? How involved in the industry are you? Who are your mutual connections? They may compare your CV to your job history on LinkedIn. Are there any gaps on either that aren’t easily explained? Do the dates tally? Our standard BBL CV format does not include your photo, so curious employers may wish to see what you look like. It should not come as a surprise that
How can I improve my social media profile? My advice is to have distinct social media profiles for work and for play. An active ‘work’ social media profile ought to reveal enough of your personality and wider interests. If you are proud of your hobbies and they show a talented side, use that to your advantage. An Instagram account showing off your photography or musical abilities will reveal a creative side that may be relevant when writing new proposals! Work on your work profiles to show some meaningful activity. We’ve all visited great websites that are let down by poor quality staff photos. LinkedIn is no different, so ask a friend who has a nice camera/phone to take a new profile shot of you in your work gear. Or commission a photographer to do a professional headshot. Are there any social media taboos? You may not win or lose out on a job opportunity if your LinkedIn profile is dormant, but an employer may not take an application further if your late-night social life appears that it might encroach on work the next day. Courting controversy online is a risky business – try not to post when under the influence. That said, many employers want employees that work hard but have fun. And finally… If you get to interview stage, the chances are the interviewer will want to get to know you. Having done your research and preparation pre interview, you will have checked out the company’s social media profiles and those of its directors/senior management, so social media ‘snooping’ cuts both ways. To view the extended version of this article please visit www.newsontheblock.com Rhys Townsend is senior block management recruitment consultant at BBL Property
employers will want to determine if you’re the right fit for their business. Whatever is on your social media accounts, the employer will make assumptions about you. being invited for an interview, so make sure your online presence won’t hinder you I’m not really active on social media If the candidate is expected to be supportive of the company’s own efforts online, then they may prefer to see that you are active on social media. A LinkedIn profile that is nothing more than a basic online CV won’t do you any favours. A Twitter account that hasn’t tweeted since 2015 may also indicate a lack of commitment. It’s easy to check out people before
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