Page 21 - Pemberton traffic

That decision, and confirmed by you, too, was that Wade Design be appointed Decor contractor (for what is now established at a cost of £60,000) and Agents (Best Gapp) be appointed as Mitre House Management Limited no longer enjoyed the confidence of the attendees. This was confirmed by all attendees in emails to everybody, save for one attendee as mentioned, but stating the they would vote with the majority decision - ie neutral - and would go with the flow.
I spent months arranging, designing, organising the various presentations (which is when you became made aware as I copied you the presentations), as well as sourcing 3 quotes for every required works to be done. In fact, just days prior to the meeting as you'll recall, I called you out of courtesy to explain the decor style.
The reason I didn't attend the meeting was because my job was done, I supplied all relevant documentation, (average) costings, plus mine and others recommendations, my voting preferences (and indeed those also included three out of the 5 at your meeting if the confirming emails I received prior to the meeting could be believed).
Regrettably they could not, as the meeting had quite clearly been hijacked by dissenters, most notably Flats 5 (Michele) and Flat 9 (Mr & Mrs Fortunati). Ridiculous accusations followed as regards me fiddling/fixing the vote and it's all been downhill from there on. Strip out these two flats and we'd have finished the place about now, on budget on schedule and looking sensational.
As regards dissatisfaction with Mitre House Management Limited by, again, only these two flats in reality, that's just a smokescreen and has nothing whatsoever to do with incompetence, inability to properly manage etc - it's personal, simply a neighbours dispute. Flat 9 disliked the new dustbins, as indeed did Michele..... everyone else enjoyed them. Flat 9 wants to turn the place into the Sloane Club, brass lanterns etc. No problem with that, it's just that I and some others are happy to have a more cheery arty different unique Chelsea look. Both Michele and yourself fell for that idea prior to the meeting indeed... simply having, as a very simple example, Tiffany lights as opposed to brass candle lanterns - but that, like the dustbins, has caused the chaos we're now in -
As such, what with Flats 5 and 9 laying down the law as regards what and what cannot be done without prior consultation to them (and indeed your email to the meeting's attendees afterwards regarding expenditure from accounts etc, hardly helped as indeed it was incorrect anyway - Management can do many things without approval so long as the cost is both reasonably incurred, is not costing more that £250 per unit, and is a neccesary requirement - £140 for 9 dustbins, delivered and installed (by me) is a perfect example..... but as far as Flat 9 was concerned, it was a declaration of war - and Michele, whom I have locked horns with for decades, joined the fray.
So, they are the reason everything is on hold, as I gave them enough rope to hang themselves and that's exactly what's transpired - a ludicrous delay in getting anywhere, a costing that's twice over budgeted amounts and a totally incompetent and misleading appraisal of the two costings to date, Management's initial £27k, rising to £35k once some extras were added to appease somewhat Flats 5 and 9, and then Michele's £60k (as expected as she's done this before by using her contacts, usually overly expensive - such as, when we were buying the HeadLease, she recommended her lawyers who quoted £10k; we used my lawyer who did it for £2500 -
So, as you'll appreciate, once bitten, twice shy and consequently, until I hear back some common sense from everybody involved which you have just done, (save for my other three directors who are in total agreement on all points including the mischief and contrariness of our fourth director), I'm leaving it to Flats 5 and 9 to either gather their troops in confirmed acceptance of Wade's £60k (forget hiring Agents, that won't happen until we decide to change of minds on that and end of year accounts well evidence our good stewardship, savings and surpluses) or not as the case might be, all as well outlined in my letter accompanying the recent demands (cheque please so I can pay the Insurance....)
If you didn't copy in the other flats, it would be advisable to do so, as it might prompt others to do same, whether they agree or not..... then we can move ahead with not only a consensus, whatever that might be, but hopefully in a sensible manner which cannot be a £60k make-over when it can be done, for as you say, far less. Management are not the problem, Flats 5 and 9 are. One being a non-resident the other a new boy who'll probably up and sell in the short term.
The floor was very well attended to with a test clean (small test area) some months back and was excellent and a full clean was costed at £650 odd, which as IO pointed out to Michele could be done twice a year for 10 years versus the (various) pro clean terrazzo quotes I sourced, ranging from £8000 - £20,000 and none guaranteeing a perfect finish.... Flat 3 wants it carpetted, Flat 9 wants it relaid or as Michele, who wants it pro- cleaned no matter the cost.... I'm carrying out various tests but your contact could be useful - is it a £600 clean or a £8000 pro-clean (noisy, dusty, lengthy and by all accounts, as I'm advised, back to square one quite quickly..)
It's not me you have to convince, Chris, re common parts meeting - it's Flats 5 and 9 and also Flat 3 - I know what's required and all is costed - it's style that I have differing opinions on as regards some malcontents - and don't forget, our obligation in the Head Lease is to paint the place one colour, two coats emulsion once every 7 years and tidy up anything that needs fixing - everything else is at the whims and fancies of the Lessees, which I'm pretty certain would entail almost 100% agreement before any decision can be made on spending vast sums
of money on cosmetics entailing a vast increase in quarterly demands for all Lessees, not just those that want to