Managing Agents

Share your experiences of local businesses - recommend or discourage!
marinagirl
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2015 12:38 am

Managing Agents

Postby marinagirl » Tue Oct 06, 2015 12:50 am

Would be very grateful to hear experience of firms of managing agents locally. So far I have heard nothing but complaints about several managing agents operating in and around Hastings! The complaints always seem to be very similar - that agents are hard to get hold of, very slow to deal with problems, generally don't deal with them very well anyway, leaving major issues like e.g. disrepair or damp not dealt with; that they all over-charge, are not good value for money, and are not transparent about the charges.

I bought my first flat here not that long ago, in a large converted house that was supposed to be "self managed" by the flat owners. When I bought that seemed like a good idea - you get to manage yourselves and it saves money. But it turned out that the building is more like "unmanaged", with legal requirements (like fire safety) being left undone for many, many years, individual flat owners doing what they like, causing quite significant problems, refusing to comply with the bits of their lease that they don't like, and no one actually managing the building. Quite like mayhem. It seems the only option is to get competent managing agents on board, but I haven't been able to find anyone in a similar building who would actually recommend one!

If anyone does have experience of an agent who manages a smallish building (6 flats) well I would be very grateful to hear. Thank you!

blueskies
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 3:02 am

Re: Managing Agents

Postby blueskies » Mon Mar 28, 2016 3:48 am

Hi marinagirl,

Interesting that you've not had any replies to your inquiry.

I am weighing up the pros and cons of buying a 2 bed flat in Hastings, possibly near St Leonards area. I visited Hastings back in 2010 and have been working overseas, looking to buy a place that I can move into in 2017-18 and in the meantime consider a short let option. Finding a agent who manages the move in/clean up, retrieval of keys in Brighton is not problem but from your experience, it sounds like there aren't sufficient options. Were your flats to let? Did you find an agent? Are you managing remotely ( i.e not based in Hastings). Keen to hear some honest feedback.

lincolnboland
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2017 3:05 am

Re: Managing Agents

Postby lincolnboland » Wed Apr 26, 2017 4:34 am

Hello,

Managing agents' services typically include:

1. Inspecting and maintaining common areas.
2. Organising waste collections.
3. Collecting management fees from owners.
4. Administrative duties, such as arranging buildings insurance cover.
5. Organising meetings between the OMC and owners.
6. Responding to enquiries from owners.


Return to “Local Traders, good and bad”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests