shared freeholders looking for good property management company/recommendations

[ondined]

We would really appreciate recommendations for a property management company to manage our small block (house converted into 5 flats). Are there any local firms who provide this service, particularly if they specialise in or have a good understanding of the needs of shared freeholders in a small block.

[Applespider]

I live in a block of 4 flats and when we bought the freehold, we decided to do it ourselve with a few of us volunteering to do the various jobs. Those who are absentee in theory buy the drinks for the AGM. We are lucky that it doesn't take up a huge amount of time and keeps the costs down to virtually the cost price of doing things.

[ondined]

Thanks,good to hear you don't find it too onerous and of your solution to absentees! We might have to end up doing this as although we would really just like to pay someone else to take this on for us/be an impartial collector of monies etc, we are struggling to find a co. suitable for us as a small block which needs a mostly needs a light touch approach to management.

[red devil]

I would also recommend the DIY route, it's easy once set up, including the slush fund contributions, and saves you ???s. I've looked through the records and the company that was used before we did it ourselves (a house of four flats) were Avrasons based in SW9. I've no idea if they were good or not because the freeholders went down the DIY route just before I bought my flat, but I believe it was purely down to save ???s in fees rather than any incompetence on their part...

[bobbsy]

From past experience, cost will rise sharply if you employ a management company. At a previous flat, we initially self managed, but it was a large block with quite a number of owners falling way behind on the monthly service fees so we decided to use a management company to help with collection of back fees. It did help, but monthly fee went from about ?40 to circa ?100 to cover their cost...sorry but I can't remember the name of the company.