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Having read through all this, i would begin with letting you know i am not in anybody's "Gang", my interest here
is to understand and try to help resolve the dispute that seems to be dragging on.
I am perfectly happy for you to remain managing this building, as long as it is done properly and with professional accounts. i have now had a look at the interior of Mitre House common parts, and to me they look in pretty good condition, they need to be redecorated, the floor clearly needs to be cleaned, ( i have a company which specialises in this type of work) and some carpentry work for the entrance and enclosing in fuze boxes etc.
I do not really understand what the problem is here, i would have thought that £20 - £30,000 should be enough to cover the cost.
The alternative to not resolving this, is an application to the LVT to settle the matter, which seems rather pointless, and will be costly.
For this reason i wanted to meet up with you, and go through the common parts, so that maybe we could reach an amicable decision for all, and get on with the work.
Regards Clp
On 23 Oct 2012, at 19:10, Paul Brown-Constable wrote:
Many apologies, must have got lost in the ether - here it is again - and I agree, it's OK - re Commission - absolutely, but we aren't able to find out or advise alternative as the Freeholder does it -
Re: a trip around Mitre House's common parts - you're in Michele's gang now, so best you stick with her - I've had enough of intrigue, revolts, changes of mind and basically a thoroughly chaotic situation - it's simple, Management's £35,000 versus Michele's £60,000 with not a dot between them as regards items to be done - and standard of work - but admittedly, the vacuous opinions mooted that it must have a project manager or else the whole process will end in chaos.... that's rich coming from the idiots who think a coat of paint needs project managing.... it's pathetic and evidences just how little these people mooting these proposals really know or understand about both the simplicity of the works involved and indeed Interior Design - something I've been involved with for over 45 years.
As you well remember, prior to the meeting in June, and thanks entirely to me keeping you informed, with very lengthy gaps of any interest or acknowledgement, you finally decided that Michele and the two latest purchasers of Mitre House, had your support as regards hiring Agents, Design Style and contracting for £60,000 (which might now come as a surprise because Michele not only refused to advise her quote was ex- 20% VAT but produced a spreadsheet that defied belief outlining her quote (ex-VAT) but maintaining Management's (admittedly various separate quotes per item - a time-immemorial way to keep costs low) costs (including ruddy VAT and using our average quote per item, as opposed to our lowest quotes - a total fiasco and proof perfect that the woman is incompetent (and you can quote me)) and has only one agenda, to make sub-letting her flat as easy as possible, as indeed would I to maintain a weekly rental of £600 and probably rising. Those of us who live here, as home, will decide what the place looks like and how much is an affordable amount to spend, and certainly pay little regard to the whims and fantasies of those that sub-let or indeed those new Lessees who, if the average norm keeps up, will sell -up with 36 months with only 12 months still to go before I'm proved correct. And we're then suck with their preferences after their departure.... there is no question of us NOT maintaining the values of our individual properties. In truth we are adding greater value by keeping costs down yet having (which we will eventually) an excellent make-over - not for a ridiculous £60,000 but something far more reasonable which is the reason we purchased the ruddy HeadLease in the first place - so sensible intelligent decisions like that could be made. Michele's happy to have an Agent (£4600 pa min) who'll simply spend as much as is possible to make their miserable 15% profit on all expenditures, surveyors crawling all over the place etc etc - no worry if you're getting £600 a week - Agents fees and even a £60,000 make-over is cigarette money...!
She also is in breach of her Lease as it states quite clearly that it can only be let if fully carpeted, which it is not, and can only be let to a single family unit - which in the past she has not - and does she care or advise resident Lessees of her contact details in case of need - NO, she actually told a previous Agent they were NOT to tell anybody her address.... she ain't exactly everyone's cup of tea, but you allied yourself with her and best you maintain that loyalty.
So, Chris - your choice, your opinion, your comment re: the way forward? All the best, Paul