Cheryl – Dedicated Property Manager

Cheryl is one of our dedicated Property Manager’s; spending her time looking after her sites, residents and owners, as well as forming a key member of our team

Cheryl helps KT Management in the service provided to residents and owners; ensure all the communal areas are clean and tidy whilst being maintained to a good standard, helping to keep the estate a nice place to live and visit. Here at KT Management we like to keep it straightforward, whilst adhering to the obligations in the Leases/Transfers

Communal grounds – Looking good even in the rain!

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!

Tips on keeping warm this winter……

How to save on heating bills!

With the temperatures dropping, everyone immediately turns the thermostat up, but that means higher bills…

To avoid sky high heating bills this winter here are some simple no cost to low cost tips and tricks to help keep your home warm:

• Move furniture away from vents to help heat circulate the room
• If you have a ceiling fan, set the rotation to a clockwise direction to help push heat down from the ceiling
• Roll up a towel to use as a make shift draught excluder and place at the bottom of doors and by windows to keep drafts at bay – other homemade draft excluders can be- an old pair of tights stuffed with old socks or newspaper, you can also use old trousers and sew up the legs, old curtains – the possibilities are endless… and cheap!
• Close the door in the room you’re in to trap in the heat and close doors to unused rooms. Think of all that wasted heat that’s travelling through those empty rooms… it just doesn’t make sense! Use your head and keep those doors shut!
• Purchase weather strips and use them on your windows; they seal in the heat and stop air escaping. These are fairly cheap to buy and easy to apply, making them cost efficient and effective at keeping those bills low…
• Keep your radiators clear; don’t block them with furniture as it will absorb the heat. So yes that may mean moving your favourite chair from in front of the radiator as really it was stealing all that radiator heat!
• Set a timer for your heating to come on when you’re in the house and to go off when you’re out or when you go to bed – it’s not necessarily true that you should keep it on all day – especially when nobody is at home. Think of the money you could be saving!
• Invest in some thick curtains and they trap in the heat, but make sure to open them during the day to let the sunlight in –  use as much as all of that natural heat from the sun! then close them once dusk hits to make sure that your home retains as much heat as possible.

 KT-Management have been looking after apartment sites for nearly 10 years. Our priority is for residents to be safe and happy within their homes.

Living in an apartment residents have to follow the terms of the lease, as do we at KT-Management. A lease will state that you are not permitted to store items in the communal area and there are various reasons why.

Safety– In the event of a fire we need to know all escape routes are clear for an easy exit

Hazardous– Items in the hall way can become a trip hazard.

Disabled access– Making sure there is amble room for disabled users to manoeuvre.

Unsightly–  Not only can it make the area look unsightly but bikes can often mark the wall.

Emergency Access– knowing emergency services can access each apartment easily .

This also means no storing in communal electrical cupboards. If a fire was to break out the items could set alight making the fire more intense also releasing toxins.

As part of our property management our property manager visits sites regularly to ensure all communal areas are clutter free.

Thank you in advance for keeping your communal area clutter free

KT-Management working together to provide a nice, safe, clean environment to live

 When buying a leasehold apartment you are agreeing to the terms of the lease. Within the lease and plans it will state which car parking space is for you to use.

It can be frustrating for residents when they come home to find their space is occupied by someone else.

Please all make sure you are using your correct car parking space, if you are a landlord please inform your agent/tenant and if you have visitors please inform them where to park.

KT-Management-Working together to provide a nice, clean and safe environment to live.

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.

The Phillips v Francis case was heard in the Court of Appeal last week, so far no decision has been announced but we understand it might be good news.

WE ARE A MEMBER OF ARMA WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT FACT AND HERE’S WHY….

It’s worth remembering that the residential leasehold sector is unregulated. Anyone can set up as managing agent and start collecting service charges without the relevant qualifications or experience.

ARMA vet all members before they join.  So you can be confident in using an ARMA agent like us because:

• They have the right professional experience: every member has to prove they have at least two years’ residential management experience

• Your service charge money is being held legally and safely: all members must demonstrate they hold service charge monies in trust as required by law

• The member has Professional Indemnity Insurance: this covers you against inadequate advice and negligence relating to a member

• Your agent is committed to and bound by professional standards: all ARMA agents must comply with the RICS Service Charge Residential Management Code. This defines best practice in the sector. If they do not follow the Code, they could be subject to disciplinary action

• If something goes wrong, you can get independent redress: all members must belong to an independent ombudsman scheme. What’s more, ARMA members are the only managing agents to be independently regulated. So if you do have a dispute, you can be confident it is being handled with integrity

We work with ARMA to make sure you get the highest standards for a clean and safe environment, giving you peace of mind and a happy place to live.

Are you a landlord? do you know who is in your property?

From December, private Landlords in the Midlands will face fines of up to £3,000 if they fail to carry out checks on their tenants, according to the Home Office.

The “Right to Rent” scheme is the first phase in a drive to create a hostile environment for illegal migrants in Britain and to deny them access to public services they are not entitled to.

The Home Office has released an official Code of Practice suggesting that everyone’s immigration status should be checked to avoid accusations of discrimination. (Immediate family members will be exempt).

Soon all Midland Landlords will be required to request evidence of a person’s identity and citizenship such as a passport. The Landlord will be required to obtain and retain a copy for a 12 month period after the tenancy ends. There are exemptions to this however for full details see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-rent-landlords-code-of-practice

We have just had some lovely new gates fitted to a bin stores on one of our sites that was experiencing a little trouble with fly tipping and unwelcome strangers. Thank you for all the lovely feedback we have had.

How smart are our bin stores looking? Can you see the floor in yours?