Control and prevent damp… Condensation is your enemy! Here’s how to reduce it!

One of the most common causes of damp – is;

Poor ventilation!

However, it may be caused by other factors… such as poor insulation, the use of bottled gas fires and paraffin heaters – which can bring large amounts of water vapour into the air. Leaving empty homes closed up and unheated also attracts damp.

But you can avoid this by;

– Properly ventilating your home by ensuring that air bricks are not papered over internally or being blocked up outside. A simple look around should determine whether this is the problem and can be easily resolved by fitting a decorative grill!

-Giving your home the proper insulation it needs by injecting cavity wall insulation or using thin polystyrene lining that can be put up like wallpaper and then papered over! Preventing the walls from going cold and stops condensation forming is key!

-Extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom can also increase ventilation and lessen excess moisture. Dehumidifiers can also be used if you want to go that extra mile during the winter months!

-Try to air your clothes outside after washing… as this stops any excess moisture from being trapped when you air them inside!

-When cooking food make sure you open a window and keep the kitchen door closed, the moisture from your steaming pots can build up moisture in cooler rooms causing condensation when it touches a cold window for example! The same goes for taking a shower and putting the kettle on… so keep your doors closed and windows open!

Here at KT-Management we are always looking at ways to improve our services. With this in mind we have upgraded our phone systems so you can be directed to the department you require.

There are also more options and information on our out of hours emergency line. 

Here is a reminder of our new address

Unit 4 Shaw House

Wychbury Court

Two Woods Lane

Merry Hill

DY5 1TA

 Communal bins are provided for apartment sites for general waste, although the bins are large these are not to be filled with other household items and furniture.

Larger items being dumped and items on the floor can result in the bin men not collecting any of the rubbish.

Arranging for removal of extra items comes at a cost in which the homeowner has to pay. Even if you rent you may find your rental fee increases as the landlords fees increase.

Here is a link for you to find your local- Recycling Centre.

Also you can help local charities by giving unwanted furniture to them. British Heart Foundation for example do a free-collection service.

If you see anyone fly tipping please inform us of any details as fly tipping is an offence.

KT-Management working together for a nice, clean and safe environment to live.

Here’s a great example of improvements on site.

A site in Tipton has had its bin store updated, giving the area a much greater appearance.

The services we provide to residents and owners is in a nutshell is making sure the communal areas are clean, tidy and in a good state of repair, helping to keep the estate a nice place to live. Communicating well with residents and managing cash flow for the best interests of the site for today and for the future.

We also work in accordance to the lease which can impact the services we provide. For example we have come across leases that state the owners themselves are to clean the windows and not the management company.

We like to take the proactive approach, here is some of what’s involved in property management;

Daily Management

• Communication with residents informing of site visits and AGMs
• Manage suppliers and contractors
• Make sure appropriate insurance is in place
• Regular site visits with a 30 point check list
• Annual fire and health and safety risk assessments
• Site meetings

Financial Management

• Produce budgets for the year ahead for the sites needs
• Lease reviews to make sure our service is compliant
• Work with an independent professionals to prepare a long term maintenance plan
• In addition to a current client account we set up a second account for the reserve fund
• We collect and hold service charges in clients accounts in accordance with section 42 of the Landlord and Tenants Act 1987
• We can also collect ground rent
• We secure all records in accordance to data protection
• We prepare financial accounts each year to ensure every penny is accounted for

Purchasing a property is often the biggest financial commitment we make and we work hard to make sure your investment is well looked after.

We use an extensive check list to check sites are up to scratch and we try to be as proactive as possible.

There are times in between site visits and contractor visits when part of your communal area may get damaged or break.

Just a reminder to all residents that if you do see a fault please let us know and don’t presume another resident has told us.

You can call us on 01384 573637

Or email customerservices@kt-management.co.uk

Working together for a safe, clean environment to live.

Court of appeal overturns Philips V Francis decision on major works

The judgement on Friday restores the common sense approach as to what constitutes qualifying works to which the £250 consultation limit applies.

Saving valuable time so that jobs can be completed without a lengthy delaying process.

How many times do we take alarms for granted??

Yesterday when a resident heard an alarm from inside an apartment she luckily took notice, She had previously seen the resident leave the apartment block and could start to smell smoke. She called us and then the emergency services were called.

The communal alarms went off and everyone evacuated safely.

The fire service attended and there was no damage done.

We would like to thank the resident and we are pleased this situation was dealt with efficiently and effectively for the safety of all residents.

Also a reminder if you do hear alarms remember…it could be for real.

Earlier in the year the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducted a study into the service provided by residential property management companies in England and Wales and have identified some concerns on how the market works.

As a result of the study it is the CMA’s intention to seek remedial action to improve the performance of the market and to provide leaseholders with a better outcome. The main issues that were highlighted were unnecessary or excessive charging for services, poor service quality, poor communication and insufficient transparency. At the moment we understand that the CMA are seeking possible remedies to the problems identified in order to develop recommendations for the industry.

Click here for more information

It is that time of year again when we put the wheels in motion for the 2015 Service Charge Budgets. Our Property Managers are busy bees identifying items on site that will need attention over the next 12-18 months as well as getting in the final quotes, ready for our Budget Meetings.