So Many Things To Discuss
By admin | March 4th, 2010 | Category: Past Articles | 32 commentsWe’d like to thank everyone for their patience, whilst we experienced some rather serious technical difficulties, that we believe were targetted at trying to take TheTruthAboutSolitaire offline. The evidence that we have sourced has been passed on to the relevant authorities for investigation.
Therefore, the good news is – WE’RE BACK and have quite a lot to comment on.
CARL Newsletter
We’ve been provided with a copy of CARL’s new Spring 2010 Leaseholder Issue 29 newsletter that highlights how the political world, seem unwilling to help owners of leasehold properties – despite the forthcoming general election.
Nigel Wilkins (Chair of CARL), mentions within the newsletter that.
He anticipated that the government would eventually introduce legislation to regulate managing agents in the leasehold sector, along with similar measures to regulate the wider private rented sector. However, Nigel took the view that regulation in itself this would be insufficient to address the problems faced by leaseholders. He emphasised that what we need are measures to free leaseholders from all aspects of leasehold abuses, and not just those arising from management abuse.
In response to a question about setting up a ‘blacklist’ of incompetent and negligent managing agents, Nigel said that this would be difficult to produce because of the unduly harsh libel laws in this country. He also said that a list of ‘good’ managing agents would be much shorter and easier to compile.
What a cracking idea to setup a ‘good’ list of managing agents, that homeowners were happy to recommend. TheTruthAboutSolitaire has previously attempted to compile this information, however not many people were forthcoming with the recommendations.
Surely there are some good PMC’s out there?
The good news is that at the time of writing this post, the Number 10 Downing Street Petition had gathered almost 1200 signatures! Keep on supporting and promoting this to your neighbours!!!
The Peverel OM Name Change
Well, what can we say… this has already taken place and Peverel are trading as OM Property Management and they’ve advised that the name change hasn’t had anything to do with distancing themselves from the damage to the Peverel reputation.
However, one eagle eyed contributor did contact us to say that, on their invoice from OM Property Management, in the small print there was an important notice:-
Important Note: Due to operational and legislative requirements, you may occasionally receive documentation from Peverel OM LTD. This is perfectly normal and all queries can be handled by the OM Property Management team. …….. However, cheques will still be acceptable in the name of Peverel Om Limited or OM Property.”
If this isn’t a cope out to cover for any future ‘admin’ cock-ups, whereby residents may accidently still receive a bill from Peverel in the Peverel name, when their property is apparently now managed by OM Property Management!
Nothing like trying to confuse residents even more!
What would happen if as a resident you received two service charge invoices for the same amount from Peverel and OM Property Management – and you paid both!! What would the chances be of getting money back!
Andy mentioned recently that Consort Property Management is targetted at maintaining the bigger developments.
Okay Andy, that maybe the case, however, a resident from a development in Portishead, Bristol contacted us to say that Consort (despite as you claim, being responsible for less developments / yet they are larger) are just as bad as Peverel / Solitaire used to be, prior to being told that Consort would be replacing Peverel / Solitaire!
Unfortunately, it would appear that every single company, that is associated to or part of Peverel Group / Consensus Business Group – do not know how to maintain developments and just want to take money from us!
Withholding Management Fees
The words that Andy has written in regards to why you shouldn’t withhold payment of your management fees is astonishingly similar to a post that we published, based on the experience of one of the TTAS Admins who has been lucky enough to be rid of Solitaire.
We will agree that by withholding payment of Management Fee’s, will contribute to a vicious circle happening.
If you don’t pay Solitaire, they can’t pay contractors to undertake repairs / provide services, which in turn leads to your development / estate deteriorating.
However, residents arguments are simple. If Solitaire / Peverel / Consort / County Estate Management, actually provided a service that was value for money in the first place, responded to residents issues and didn’t just ignore them, so that residents felt that they were ‘cash cows’ – they wouldn’t feel the need to with hold payment.
Our solution to the predicament is simple and is one that the admins have previously undertaken.
First of all, put your concerns in writing to Soltiaire by recorded delivery (which we have all done and it’ll get ignored) – ensure you copy ARMA into this correspondence, because at the moment ARMA are monitoring Solitaire rather seriously.
If you then fail to get an answer, lodge a Complaint via Solitaire’s complaints procedure – again, copy ARMA into it.
Then, if that still gets ignored, speak with your neighbours and ask them to collectively withhold payment, until the issues are addressed. Afterall, Solitaire / Peverel cannot threaten you with legal action if you have strength in numbers.
Please note, that if you do opt to with hold payment, ensure that you deposit these funds into a savings account / separate account, to allow you to demonstrate to Solitaire / Peverel that – when they start performing, you’ll pay your account.
An admin has recently experienced this issue, whereby Solitaire transferred funds to the new PMC and the amount was no more than £300. However, there was £13,000 in debtors – whom had refused to pay SPM, for fear that those funds would never have been transferred in full to the new PMC.
Don’t forget, if you have the support of your neighbours and you all collectively withhold payment, you can request that the freeholder (in many cases E&M) appoint an alternative PMC and they will request you provide them with your chosen company, whilst they will source two additional quotes in the tender process.
If that is the case, stress to E&M that you do not want any other company, apart from the one you have selected to be responsible. E&M will then ask you to provide evidence that all residents are in favour of this and we recommend you produce a standard template letter and go door-to-door and get signatures on each letter.
This saves the risk of some neighbours not replying to E&M, which gives them the option to appoint their chosen PMC.
We hope that this’ll help and feel free to ask questions, because this is an area where our admins have good knowledge of.
Somebody has tried (unsuccessfully…) to take TTAS offline…??? Disgraceful.
Can’t image who would want to do such a thing…..
Anyway, they’ve failed. Which is good for all of us contributors to the site. Keep up the good work, Admin.
And if the person/s responsible for the attempt to take this site down are reading this, then you’ve wasted your time. Ha…!!!
Thank you admin.Well done to catch the culprits which proves you have the right calibre. Let that be warning to others not to mess with “ the truth”.
Excellent advice. As you are aware I was threatened by bailiffs which I am fighting. I will use your format. Have you received some of my photographs in 2 batches to depict years of neglect by Solitaire?
It appears only way MC knows how to handle me is by threats which has failed in the past, failing now and will be failing in the future.
Can I have another strategy Andy please? It is getting repetitive and boring.
…oh, and if at any point Admin are able to advise on who they suspect (based on the evidence obtained) was responsible for the attempted sabotage on this website, I’m sure I’m not the only one who would like to know.
Presumably at present Admin can’t say, as the evidence “has been passed on to the relevant authorities for investigation”, but once the investigation has been completed, perhaps details can be released (obviously making sure there is not libel committed)…???
Very underhand, shoddy, counter-productive actions by somebody…..
Peveral OM, one of the largest management Companies in UK has been found live and kicking but reduced to small prints, last known to be collecting service charge. It appears the company has been disowned by the web:
http://www.ompropertymanagement.co.uk/
who introduces as,
“OM Property Management formerly Peverel OM. Quality, value for …”
Lies, misrepresentation, incompetence ????????
Andy do help me out here to use the right word to express my disillusion and confusion?
What does OM stand for, outrageous money-making?
Now I know what it stands for:
O: Outrageous
M: Money-making
“What a cracking idea to setup a ‘good’ list of managing agents, that homeowners were happy to recommend.”
We are at the point in our RTM where we are beginning to think about the selection of new managing agents. Over the weekend I was looking at the News On the Block website particularly the PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AWARDS 2009.
http://www.newsontheblock.com/articles/Property_Management_Awards_2009_The_Winners
It’s too late for the solicitors but we shall definitely consider two of the finalists to manage our property.
There are the Oscars, and there are the Golden Raspberry awards. One rewards great performances, the other marks bad ones….. Uniquely, Sandra Bullock has this year picked up the Best Actress award at the Oscars, and also the Worst Actress (for a different film) at the “Razzies”.
So, we have the Property Management Awards, rewarding the good side of the industry. So, what’s the less-welcome alternative?? What would be the categories, and which companies would be nominated…???
Let us create one ( Raspberry award will do fine)) and I will take it for u.
Neil,
I note your comment about considering two of the finalists for management of your property. One of those mentioned is MAINSTAY. I just happened to be visiting a friend who recently took a 6-month tenancy on an apartment in a newish development in Cardiff Bay and noticed Maintstay’s Notice in the communal area; I was impressed by the fact that the notice drew everyone’s attention to the key points in the lease about no playing of load music between the hours of 11.00pm to 8.00 am; rules about refuse disposal etc. alongside the usual contact telephone numbers for emergencies etc.
I am personally NOT recommending this company, but first impressions look good to me. For our RTM I am sticking with a locally grown and based management company that uses local contractors. I am unconvinced that property management that essentially requires a lot of “management by walking about” cab be effectively and efficiently run by other than a local office. I also believe that local contractors know the area, probably even know who the “trouble-makers” are in area etc. etc. Finally, when I see the word “charismatic” (used in the Awards article in NEWSONTHEBLOCK to describe the CEO and Chairman of CHAINBOW) I throw my hands up in despair!!!!!
Mainstay – Check out the directors! – Worcester based.
Our advice would be to NOT TOUCH MAINSTAY WITH A BARGE POLE!!!
Our development is in Bristol and part of it is maintained by Mainstay and they are shocking. Having spoken with a neighbouring resident who referred me to this website, we are in the process of obtaining alternative quotes from a local supplier, who has been mentioned on here.
Solitaire or Peverel were considered, but having read this website, I’m slowly building a picture that there are very few good PMCs and choosing one should be on recommendation.
SaxonHero – what are you suggesting re. the directors of Mainstay…??? Their names (and photos) are all on their website. I see this as a good thing – i.e. they are being open and up-front. Do you concur, or do you know something we don’t…???
Perhaps Peverel & co. should take note…???
Well….so much for NEWSONTHEBLOCK awards then – Maintstay won the Regional Property Management Company of the Year Award!!
SaxonHero – so you do something we don’t?
As per my earlier comment – our RTM are using a very local Management Company that have lots of experience of taking on ex-Peverel sites as well.
If our site had a higher percentage of owner-occupiers (it’s approx 60% buy-to-let and 40% owner-occupier at present) I would have been prepared to consider self-management. However, I think that using the services of a Management Company can provide continuity to apartment blocks where there is likely to be a high turnover of flat owners over a relatively short space of time.
There are local, well run property management companies, that are more than capable of providing a good service without ripping off leaseholders – why run the risk of replicating more of the same?
There is much to be said for the ‘we know where you live approach’ in this business – high time to be valued as a customer for a change!
So, SaxonHero recommends “Mainstay”, but TheMeadows says they are shocking. So, a 50/50 split so far.
Anybody else had any dealings with them? Good, bad, or indifferent…???
Mind you, Solitaire / Peverel can only dream of a 50% approval rating. Although I expect Andy will now come on & tell us their own research shows a much higher level of satisfaction amongst their thousands of customers…..
NO! – you take my post out of context – I ONLY recommend local and small where practical to go this root. anything else is asking for trouble! – more of the same as with the Pev/Sol etc.
correction – route
We are in the process of replacing Solitaire at our development with a locally based, leaseholder selected company.
This said, in order to transition to the new company we have, unfortunately, to deal with E&M
Has anyone recently been through, or is involved in this process with E&M – we are cautious if only from the perspective that they have no incentive to be cooperative and if recent experience is to go bye will not be?
Kindly advise
Run a mile from E&M very very devious, be warned, should come with a health warning
Paul,
Had any dealings with H.Q. at E&M?
SaxonHero
The trouble is with E&M the left-hand doesn’t know what the right-hand doing, they have refused to speak to us over quite a few issues, keep all written documentation for proof
Paul,
That’s very interesting – you too, they appear to think that THEY will decide who they will and will not talk to!
Just another example of an outrageous and disgraceful culture that in my experience goes back along way with Solitaire and all associated companies, as E&M most certainly is.
These people seriously need telling where to get off. (and have been!).
Don’t forget V.T. is a director – so just go straight for the jugular, as the senior management is common and the various companies are only divided technically in practice – a point seriously worth remembering.
Thanks for your comments Archangel,
I think our views are probably similar. I didn’t say but I live in London which has a separate award. The principle remains the same though. I have written professionally about companies and in commenting it is necessary to hedge about a bit and be less direct than many blog contributors. It has to pass a lawyer test. This means press comments cannot be taken completely at face value. Also like yours our block is 60% investor but then 20% main home and 20% pied a terre. PeverelOM has always assumed it is invulnerable as we would never find out who most of the owners were. Wrong!
We have adopted the same approach as you. Analysing what has gone wrong in PeverelOM has driven what we’re seeking. Peverel is all about maximising cash flow and sod the customer. It appears to have 33 blocks per estate manager whereas our candidates each have about 12.
It is clear that in Peverel a lot of decisions about our block are not taken by the estate manager at all but centrally at a much higher level. Because of its size Peverel has to have large contractors which are not in the block’s interest. Hence insurance where 500 blocks are on one policy. Our TV aerial was subject to work under ‘Project Telstar’ which the electrician told me applied to 3,500 blocks. Similarly the gardening contractors wasted a whole day here last summer. During his fag and my lunch break I asked one of the men what they were doing and he also told me that the project covered 3,500 blocks. So much for Andy’s 1,100 blocks which was an incomplete and misleading answer about the size of the group.
Like SaxonHero we’ve gone small and local. Our candidates are all within 10 miles and each only manages 40-80 blocks in total and so can provide a more tailored service. They will not be sending qualified electricians 70 miles from Brighton to change our electric light bulbs and then charging us £350 for the privilege. All the candidates charge by the amount of time the estate manager spends and not as a percentage of the biggest bill they can muster.
We have not chosen yet so please coming with your views on the ideal manager.
Hello again Neil & others who are considering new Management Companies.
Yes location is clearly a key factor and what works for one area may well not suit another and I cab see that London could require something different.
Have just checked out the other “Peverel” blog – Peverel Group Action and come across an interesting post by a Property Management Company based in Oxford – http://www.commongroundoxford.com
It’s worth looking at their site as it gives some good pointers as to what to look for in a Manager. They claim that they put all documents online – bank statements, invoices etc that all eligable leaseholders can access vis secure password. (Bit like Peverel OMs “award-winning” Avenue, but without the razzamatazz and glitz but with the info leaseholders have a right to and want to see.
I thought S&M was bad, E&M are even worse!
Paul advised that you should run a mile from them. Wrong! 1 mile is not nearly far enough!
I have tried reasoning with them to no avail. However,as they say they are trying to improve customer service i have thought of a way this can be achieved.
Why don’t they move from their office in North london to a new development 5 miles east of Dover and 16 miles west of Calais?
We are in the process of replacing Solitaire and appear, not surprisingly/as predicted, to be encountering serious communication and cooperation problems with E&M in transitioning.
If a leaseholder is any way assertive, as is absolutely necessary with these people, they do the old Solitaire routine on you and accuse you of being ‘rude’ and refuse to communicate. (Don’t know which page in the ‘treat the leaseholder like crap handbook’ that is) There is a particularly stroppy woman there (name for the moment withheld –though available) who is a hangover from when the ‘dynamic duo’ owned Solitaire before selling out for millions.
I have had 10 years of this scum.
V.T. is a director of E&M so I took a shot at guessing his email from similar on the CBG website and copied him, quite correctly given his status within E &M, on a recent communication to said stroppy woman and got a read reply – probably from his P.A. – but hay, let us see how they like that and indeed what may transpire!
They are all only technically divided companies and do most certainly collaborate and contrive communications with leaseholders as I am aware from the edit comments left in an email! – Not very smart really! So I suggest you also copy L.M. at Peverel in any regard with issues.
Admin quoted an excerpt from Peverel letter “However, cheques will still be acceptable in the name of Peverel Om Limited or OM Property”
I sent an email today to Luton in both the PeverelOM name and OM Property name. The first bounced back immediately. Strange that they should still take cheques–they are remarkably good at accepting money.
SaxonHero,
As an aid to my research, can you tell me who “the ‘dynamic duo’ who owned Solitaire before selling out for millions” were?
I suspect that Solitaire was sold for a song, not millions?
Solitaire was a plc
Below is HISOTRIC
Harvey Barry Shulman LLM,
Joint Managing Director
Harvey Shulman is a solicitor who has been involved in property acquisition and management since 1988. He has been Joint Managing Director of Solitaire since its flotation on AIM in 1997. He is also a partner in Graham Harvey Solicitors, with which he has been associated since 1972, where he has specialised in property and commercial matters. He has held a number of board appointments.
Graham Ashley Shapiro LLB,
Joint Managing Director
Graham Shapiro is a solicitor and has been Joint Managing Director of Solitaire since its flotation on AIM in 1997. He has also been associated with Graham Harvey, principally as a partner (and now a consultant) since 1972, specialising in the acquisition and management of property and mortgage portfolios.
Thanks SaxonHero,
Have just done a bit for researching and found out that Soliatire were appointed as Property Investment Advisor to the PFA (on GIVEMETHEGAME.com site -Jan 01 2007).
There we are all you football fans!
RE: CARL newsletter above.
See CARLEX site – post entitled Property Week Article and the 7 comments, especially the 2 or 3 by Nigel Wilkins, Chair of CARL