Arthur
Well-known member
Anyone on here have any experience of either issuing a right to manage to a freeholder or attempting buy a freehold?
Long story short, I live in a block of 9 flats all leasehold in Crowborough. The freeholder is a delightful company based in Bognor they employ an even more delightful company based in Birmingham and Southampton to manage the block. They have decided that our garage block needs the roof replacing they have obtained three quotes from building firms based in Havent, Southampton and Christchurch. They have decided to use the latter claiming they have been unable to source a local building firm to do the work. When questioned as to why they have chosen a company 120 miles away they have simply told us no local firms were recommended when they first wrote to us about the work. This is simply not true as at least 3 firms were suggested by residents. Unsurprisingly the 3 quotes for the work were astronomical as the management company take a 10% cut for their trouble. Clearly none of the builders have inspected the site as one claimed it was grade two listed (garage block built early eighties!). All 9 leaseholders have written to complain about the choice of contractors and their charges I finally got a reply saying my concerns had been noted yesterday 21 days after my original email and another resident got a similar email last week leaving 7 flat owners not to even have their email acknowledged.
The positive from all this is that it's meant the 9 flat owners have got together and all have refused to pay a bean before the management company have obtained three more quotes from local firms. As a group we've gone out and obtained one quote so far and have two more on the way and surprise surprise the quote came in under half of what had been quoted by the three from Hampshire.
We're also looking into ideally buying the freehold but having read up on that it seems it is a lengthy and drawn out process which would cost a ton in legal fees so may not be feasible financially. Right to manage on the other hand sounds very achievable from what I've read. My question to the good folk of NSC is have any of you gone through either process? Obviously buying the freehold would require a lot of legal advice but I've read conflicting reports whether it's worth getting a solicitor for RTM?
Any advice or recommendations of companies to use would be gratefully received.
Long story short, I live in a block of 9 flats all leasehold in Crowborough. The freeholder is a delightful company based in Bognor they employ an even more delightful company based in Birmingham and Southampton to manage the block. They have decided that our garage block needs the roof replacing they have obtained three quotes from building firms based in Havent, Southampton and Christchurch. They have decided to use the latter claiming they have been unable to source a local building firm to do the work. When questioned as to why they have chosen a company 120 miles away they have simply told us no local firms were recommended when they first wrote to us about the work. This is simply not true as at least 3 firms were suggested by residents. Unsurprisingly the 3 quotes for the work were astronomical as the management company take a 10% cut for their trouble. Clearly none of the builders have inspected the site as one claimed it was grade two listed (garage block built early eighties!). All 9 leaseholders have written to complain about the choice of contractors and their charges I finally got a reply saying my concerns had been noted yesterday 21 days after my original email and another resident got a similar email last week leaving 7 flat owners not to even have their email acknowledged.
The positive from all this is that it's meant the 9 flat owners have got together and all have refused to pay a bean before the management company have obtained three more quotes from local firms. As a group we've gone out and obtained one quote so far and have two more on the way and surprise surprise the quote came in under half of what had been quoted by the three from Hampshire.
We're also looking into ideally buying the freehold but having read up on that it seems it is a lengthy and drawn out process which would cost a ton in legal fees so may not be feasible financially. Right to manage on the other hand sounds very achievable from what I've read. My question to the good folk of NSC is have any of you gone through either process? Obviously buying the freehold would require a lot of legal advice but I've read conflicting reports whether it's worth getting a solicitor for RTM?
Any advice or recommendations of companies to use would be gratefully received.
