Hi, wonder if anyone can help. Where we live there is a property management company that the developer put in place to look after the estate, gardens open areas ect, they are diabolical at there job & charge £150 for the privalage. Does anybody have any dealings with this type of firm? or know of any we can approach?:help:

What development are you living in?

Forge Mill @ Oughtibridge.

I have two tenents in the Sycamore development and both have complained about the property management company in there. I'm due to take it up with the developer, Cala Homes, if they don't do anything about it I will follow the process on other developments I've got investments in and that is to buy out the property management company. If you get the agreement of all residents in the complex you can come together and seek to buy the contract to manage the estate. It's a long process but it give all the residents full control of the complex.

You'll need to contact the developers and then see a solicitor.

Good luck.

I have two tenants in the Sycamore development and both have complained about the property management company in there. I'm due to take it up with the developer, Cala Homes, if they don't do anything about it I will follow the process on other developments I've got investments in and that is to buy out the property management company. If you get the agreement of all residents in the complex you can come together and seek to buy the contract to manage the estate. It's a long process but it gives all the residents full control of the complex.

You'll need to contact the developers and then see a solicitor.

Good luck.

We're on with that now, who looks after the sycamores then? ours is CPM

The way alot of developments work is this (yours may be slightly different - i dont know the sycamores):

All residents are shareholders in a management company (that just means that collectively, the residents are responsible for the communal areas)

Because the residents dont want to get personally involved with hiring cleaners, gardeners, waste, redecorating, communal utilities etc. The Management Company (i.e. the residents) hire a Managing Agent (i.e. a 3rd party) to do all this for them, on their behalf.

New developments normally begin by having a managing agent appointed by the builders. Once all the properties on the development are sold, then residents gain control of the Management Company, and often they will continue with the same Managing Agent.

The Management Company (The residents) can simply vote to get rid of the Managing Agent and replace them with another company. Theres plenty of companies around who do work like this. CPM are notoriously poor (having graced the airwaves of Watchdog at one point). We got shot of them at the first opportunity.

Generally, until ownership of the Management Company is turned over to the residents (usually after all properties are sold), your hands are tied. All you can do is keep complaining by phone and letter, both to CPM and your builders. You might consider getting a residents committee together to coordinate this.

pm me if you want more info.

Doing all the above at the mo, CPM very reluctant to give access to acounts info & the like, Taylor Woodrow don't seem that bothered either! If your buying a lease hold property beware!

this is probably due to poor communication to residents/owners and once they have control there is more chance of having a stressful time instead of enjoying your home.