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We forget all of PIP's lift works (£16,915 plus vat) and go with Michele's firm once we ascertain their extra cost to
paint the grey doors only - Surecast price for the doors is £2498 so Michele's will be near that probably - I don't think we should touch the wire mesh - leave as it is for now. And certainly none of the other PIP works, especially the lift car interior for £5905 plus vat.
As regards the marble floor throughout, my opinion is to leave it as is for the time being - it was thoroughly done a few years ago and was grubby again within 6 months. In the present economic climate, spending upwards of £13000 to clean the floor is a luxury we cannot afford at present.
My choice of colour scheme for the walls would be either a light apple green throughout or a light charcoal grey to match the marble. The grey lift doors could be either a metallic silvery blue or a metallic apple green.
We had better get this organised quickly or else KFH will present us with a fait accompli and simply commence works - supposedly, the only thing holding up the start is still a lack of funds in the reserves. If these internals are costing anywhere upto £60,000, the externals, due in two or three years will be in the region of £120,000 minimum. Saving a considerable amount off the internals now will help go towards those externals - and, although a thorough smartening up of Mitre House internals makes the place a better place to live, it has little effect on marketability - Allison's flat sold for a record £600,000 - but it is appreciated that it can have implications for those owners who are sub-letting properties - they are, though, fortunate in being able to get tax breaks on service charges whereas we poor owner occupiers pay from taxed income! At present we're all paying around £277 per quarter towards a £10,000 per annum contribution to reserves - it'll take 10 years to cover the externals!
I am only copying to Michele, Samya and Segar - and also will include Lisa re: colour scheme preference - which leaves Flats 1, 3, 6 and 9 out of the frame as they are either sub-let or new owners.
Let me know thoughts so we can advise KFH accordingly, Paul
Re: ACCOUNT QUERIES sent 15 Oct 2010 and the third request, first sent on receipt of account June 2010)
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:49:28 +0100
To: "Julie Freeman" <jfreeman@kfh.co.uk>
From: Graffiti Editions Limited <studio@graffiti.biz>
Subject:
Cc:
Bcc: Segar & Lindy And Sacha Karupiah <segar_9@hotmail.com>, Samya Riad <riadsf@gmail.com> X-Attachments:
Dear Julie - hope you're well. Can I ask a a favour to get this lot put to bed - most importantly to receive a copy of the quote from Michele Sigg's people (based on correct specs as supplied to them). We are in correspondence with her re: internals and I can't finalise computations until we see her people's estimates versus Surecast's - thanks.
re: Accounts queries outstanding
Electrical repairs £2690 - was that Matrix re: basement install of new fuseboxes etc? Very high.
Matrix seem to be on a very easy wicket charging £260 to simply re-glaze one small windowpane - and replacement drainpipe for £1365 (it was purely 2 cuts and an insertion piece) and electricity repairs and fitments £2655 - that windowpane should have been done for much less than even £100 at most so can we keep a closer eye on tradesmen invoices in future when they seem unreasonable as would any householder in same situation - £260 for a windowpane could incur a visit from that TV programme that identifies Rogue Traders! You could have replaced the entire door with windows with a brand new door for £260 - it should be queried with Matrix as at present they seem to be able to present any invoice they wish without someone checking it for reasonability. £260 to replace a small windowpane in a door is ludicrously high.
Locks keys and door repairs £324 - on whose behalf - I think should have been charged to offending tenant. Drain cleaning & maintenance £1366 - whatever they did had no effect?
Light Bulbs £116 - that's one helluva lot of light bulbs - I know of 2 that went at around £5 each.
Legal Fees - that sounds like chasing slow service charge payers again and was at the centre of a long dispute some years ago - any fees charged should be paid by defaulting tenants, surely?
I note your reply re: expenses this current year, namely Since the 1st January we have spent a total of £947 on electrical repairs and drain cleaning.
Electricity query:
Electricity for Mitre House (British Gas) - it is noted that on the Service Charge Expense Detail Report for year ending December 2008 items for the Electricity account are not detailed with Inv. Numbers so as to be easily identified (as they are on the accounts for year ending December 2009) - could I please see a copy of the six items listed as they seem alarmingly high at an overall £1794 - there should be two quarterly bills as we have 2 meters which equates to 8 bills to see - only 6 are listed and without correct reference, invoice no. etc are impossible to check properly.