Management not responding to water damage?

Professional Managing Agent or Unpaid Owner/Occupier/ Fellow Landlord running the Block?

Watch your Insurance premiums rocket next year.

Speak to the Leasehold Advisory Service about your options.

Hi Sylvia,

What a nightmare for you and not how the situation ought to be!

Your issues, in my view, cut across several paths. Firstly, an ineffective management company. Secondly, an insurance company that also appears ineffective.

I assume the insurance company which you are dealing with was appointed by the management company? Therefore it could be their stance that they’d prefer to dialogue with the company who appointed them, although they should have told you if that was the case. You did right in raising a formal complaint with them, as their complaints process has to be fully exhausted before the insurance ombudsman will assist you.

I would suggest you keep plenty of photos of what’s happening, keep copies of all correspondents sent/received.

In addition, inform the management company that any charges to you, for anything associated with the leak, will be subsequently charged to them. Raise a formal complaint with them over all issues, lack of contact, failure to respond or resolve etc. You will, like the ombudsman, need to fully exhaust their complaints process before raising with the First Tier Tribual will independently assess the management company inaction. I’d be inclined to send them a “Letter before Acion”. Templates can be found on web. These letters are favoured by ombudsman, First Tier Tribunls etc as it clearly explains consequences of inaction.

Finally, I’m not sure of your leasehold setup or if you have a Right to Manage (RTM) in place The Leasehold Advisory website explains RTM. They are independent and support leaseholders and provide free advice. If you have a RTM in place, or part owner of freehold, you can move management companies. I wouldn’t suggest you do that until all current issues are resolved. The process is pretty straightforward and can be done via AGM. You will need support of other leaseholders.

If no RTM is in place, or you don’t own part of the freehold, you will need to establish one. This is a longer term goal as it takes a few months. You will need support of other leaseholders, as 50% need to agree before progressing. The Leaseholders Advisory service explains in detail this process, I’ve completed it several times. Dlighty weary but doable.

Id suggest you get as many leaseholders to join you in support. Get a group going on WhatsApp, email. Get them to record all dialogue. You’ll need their support moving forward.

I appreciate this is more work for you now and all you want is a quick resolution. However, following these steps will assist you later on. You may find these suggestions initiates a better respone from the insurance co/management company. However, that management company needs to be replaced.

Hope this helps.

Contact LEASE with a copy of your lease and the service charge demands sent to you.

Ask them to explain what the lease you paid a premium for /purchased gives you in terms of rights to live in the flat. You did not buy the physical flat, just the right of occupancy provided you and the other party holding the landlord interest perform the terms and conditions in your lease ,a legally binding contract.

Look at another entry on this website today near the most recent post on page 2 which clearly sets out your rights as Leaseholder.