We need a new management agent !

ondafly

Hi Folks,

The management agent who manages my apartment complex, has just quit us, giving us 6 days notice. They are a fairly large agency. I am wondering does anyone have any suggestions for replacement agents, and if possible any advice regarding us being literally dropped in it ?

Thanks

markpb

My estate is with Wyse and we're reasonably happy with them. It's a bit on the steep side but it's a very big estate.

Out of interest, can you name the MA (since you're not slandering them) or can you say what happened to lead up to this?

ondafly

I won't mention their name just in case. But to say the past year (2007) has had dreadful service from them. Previous years were fine....

How Strange

ondafly wrote: »

Hi Folks,

The management agent who manages my apartment complex, has just quit us, giving us 6 days notice. They are a fairly large agency. I am wondering does anyone have any suggestions for replacement agents, and if possible any advice regarding us being literally dropped in it ?

Thanks

They might be in breach of contract giving only six days notice. AFAIK, 30 days is the normal notice on either side.

Make sure you get all your records back from them. Get them to do a full list of what they are handing over - this should include any documents relating to the leasehold, any surveys carried out, all files on debt collection, all files on owners, creditors invoices, statements, debtors invoices and statements, cheque books and bank statements, sets of accounts, insurance details, a list of all creditors used incl contact names for the bank, solicitor, insurance etc.

Don't let them bully you into just picking the files up. Make sure 2 or 3 of you go (preferably one of you has office management/accountancy experience to know what files you should have, ask for a meeting room and tick each file off the list they give you.

It won't be up to date so you will have to go back next month and pick up the remainder of bank statements, creditor & debtor statements and invoices.

ondafly

thats some good advice - I was onto the consumers affairs, and they have a section now detailing what I need to know also. Fun times ahead no doubt ! I'm gonna spend tomorrow going through the Articles of Assoc / Memorandums etc, to see if they can actually just quit after 6 days

Paulw

I will bet that there is no written contract between the management agent and the management company (quite common actually). So, they can give you 1 day notice if they want.

Make sure that when you get a new agent, that you have a written contract, a probation period, and also a period of notice (from either side).

Best of luck with the new agent, whoever you pick. Make sure you go through everything when you get your previous agent to hand over to the new agent. Documentation is really key.

antoinolachtnai

The memorandum and articles will tell you nothing about whether they can quit with six days notice. It will be a matter of contract between the man. co. and the agent.

And if they have breached the contract, what are you goiing to do? Sue them and force them to come back?

How big is your development, where is it and what are the problems that have arisen? This will determine what management agents are available to you.