leasehold flat managing agent problems

[Baron Von Doom]

Does any one else have problems with managing agents for leasehold properties?
Im getting really fed up with ours. They charge £180 a quater for maintenance but do nothing to the block. As a result the block now looks very run down.
To top this they have now asked for an additional £45 because they say they have over spent on the place.
A passing yob smashed the communial front and rear door a while ago. They said we would have to pay. We were told its not a valid insurance claim and they dont deal with insurance anyway. When we called the insurance ourselves we were told it is valid and they have heard nothing from the managing agents.
They also sent us a bill for £3300 each flat owner for works carried out from the last three years. We took this to a tribunal and had a lot removed, We applied so they couldnt charge us the fees for the tribunal next year, but it looks like now they can.Most of the charges were made up such as gardening (there are no gardens)
Any one else had trouble with managing agents?

[sinizterguy]

Theyre all a bunch of crooks.

[GaryB]

If anecdotal evidence on some of the property websites is anything to go by, this seems to be increasingly common.

If you look at the catalogues of property auctioneers, one of the things that is growing is the auctioning of freeholds. These are often bought by companies who then try to screw the leaseholders with assorted charges. I wouldn't touch a leasehold flat without a share in the freehold.

[RichardK]

I suggest you look into the enfranchisement process and get together with the other leaseholders to purchase the freehold so you can self manage. You have a legal right to force the freeholder to sell the freehold to you, and it is often a lot cheaper than people think.

Alternatively I think you also have the right to change managing agents.

Both options require a majority of the leaseholders to agree.

There's a few forums out there for this sort of thing. This is one: http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/

[sim667]

My freind had a similar problem, they forcibly bought the freehold and are much happier now

[daveleeuk]

Leasehold Management is a joke, I'm on the other end (Flat Owner), and they are utterly useless, I pay almost £2000 pa for all.

It took me 6 weeks to get a new security gate key and generally they are just utterly useless

[Baron Von Doom]

We looked at buying the leasehold a while ago but getting the majority was a problem. There are 48 flats but a few owners live abroad and rent the flats out. We are looking at changing managing agents. They changed not long ago. The freeholders changed them as a lot of people refused to pay any maintenance money due to nothing being done. The managing agents at the time (DGA) were well known to be dodgy (google) They charged a thousand pounds each for a redecoration which was only partly done, and bodged. They then said it wont be finished as the company went bankrupt. They then charged again a few years later but refused to do the work as some people wouldnt pay. They always threatened to take people to court but never would.
We just found out the head of the new company used to be one of the managment for the old one.
The thing that annoys me more is they keep adding extras every month or two, saying they have to charge more as the money didnt cover the maintenance.