Property Services

 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

Without being a bah humbug with the run up to Christmas, its wise to keep in mind that burglary increases at this time of year. A combination of darker nights and the potential of gifts inside the property. Its a busy time of year but take a few moments to think of the security of your home.

Here are some tips to help keep your home safe this Christmas-

• If you are going away try and be discrete if possible, try not to share on social media or display suitcases outside your property whilst you pack the car.
• Timers are a good investment for your lights, giving the impression somebody is in.
• When living in apartments take care to shut communal doors after yourself not allowing non residents in.
• Make sure all windows and doors are locked. Don’t be more complacent being in an apartment.
• For fire safety and for disabled access nothing should be kept in communal areas anyway, another reason is so they are not targeted and stolen.
• Inside your property don’t keep valuable items on display where they can be seen from the outside.

When living in an apartment it’s important to consider those living around you.

If you are subject to noise nuisance it can become very stressful, you can lose sleep and feel frustrated in your home. If you are disturbed by a noisy neighbour make sure you politely speak to them regarding the noise, as they may not be aware they are making any. If you have spoken to your neighbour but the noise continues please feel free to contact us if we are your management company and if they let the property we could inform the landlord who may be able to help. If noise continues-keep a log of the days and times that you are being disturbed and contacting the local council environmental health department can also help.

Living in a leasehold property there will be certain terms of the lease which will help protect you from noise nuisance such as

-No noise after 11pm or before 7am

-No pets

-No instruments

Any one breaking the terms of their lease could be at risk of losing their home

Please all be considerate to each other for a nice environment to live

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.

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

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

Did you know that there is an estimate of 2.8 million leasehold flats in England, according to the government.

Looking for a management company to look after them, contact us 01384 573 637 or email us info@kt-management.co.uk

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.

As of 1st January 2013 homeowners will be advised by any gas engineer that their gas boiler flue system is “at risk”, if a Gas Safe registered engineer is unable to inspect the flues especially if they are concealed and there isn’t an inspection hatch.

The reason behind this is to raise awareness of the potential dangers from certain types of flues and the risk of exposure to carbon monoxide (CO).

If you are not aware if this applies to you:

• Contact a Gas Safe registered engineer who last serviced your boiler who will advise you if your property is affected.
• If your boiler isn’t regularly serviced, it is advised that you arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to check your system out immediately.

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