Page 11 - 8_PBC to Begg OCR_8-4-16 (38pp)

Now that the refurbishment at Mitre House has been completed [yes, 4 months ago], I would like to register my concern regarding the vulgar, cheap and unsuitable décor chosen by Mitre House Management Limited for the communal areas (no comments required please).
She also makes clear she is paying her March 2015 Quarterly Demands Under Protest. I can’t recall receiving any other derogatory comments from any lessee to date.
I must agree about the unfortunate history now resident at Mitre House. You are intoning that the reason is either myself or the presence of Mitre House Management Limited since 1 January 2012. I disagree and can evidence that fact in various correspondence.
The unfortunate history you refer to lies solely at the door of Mrs Hillgarth who, despite being a Director of Mitre House Management Limited, connived and disloyally schemed for the benefit of her own agenda, that being, her desire to maintain the marketability of her rented out flat, having no regard whatsoever to budgets, available funds, resident lessees wishes [by resident, I refer to lessees and tenants who reside full time at Mitre House as main home].
Documents to hand if required will evidence a quite ridiculous escalation of funding required to meet the wishes and aspirations of Mrs Hillgarth and those she tempted to join her [not, I would add a majority].
In 2012 when we took the reins, already behind schedule [and in serious breach of our Head Lease] for the required Internals/Exterior, Reserves stood at £85,000 approx. Management [ourselves] proposed an Internals budget [to commence as soon as S.20 Notices completed] of £27,000 incl. vat & fees, which believe it not would have ended up with a décor almost EXACTLY as it does today [leaving aside whether or not white, taupe or Caribbean Sunset].
What was worrying were the Exterior works, requiring as it did professionally qualified Surveyors, the Freeholder’s eye on things, and an unknown amount of works that might be required based on the Surveyor’s initial report.
Management budgeted for the Exterior, based on available funds in Reserves and those still to come by commencement of works [both Interior & Exterior] for £60,000 approx incl. vat and fees.
Seems cheap today, but in early 2012 was about right.
You will note from the correspondence that I sent you previously between Mrs Hillgarth and our previous Agents, [or one of], Haywards/Gavin Owen, where he makes clear that the tenants/lessees/Resident’s Association do not have sufficient authority to instruct such tasks as internal decorations. That fact, [as in those days, and for years previously, I was Chairman of our little Resident’s Association], I was well aware of and always felt slightly peeved to be simply told Internals [or indeed Externals] are due and they [agents] will be seeking 3 quotes and choosing the cheapest.
Sure enough that was done, cheapest chosen, date for commencing announced, and on that date I would go normally to work and return to see the interior half painted [one year all