We can provide an inclusive property management service, for which an annual management fee is charged covering the following services:

• Collection of service charges
• Instruction for the recovery of unpaid service charges
• Preparation of service charge statements
• Payment for general maintenance out of service charge funds
• Production of annual spending estimates to calculate service charges
• Administration of building and other insurance required
• Attendance at Annual General Meetings
• Supervision of staff, such as concierge, cleaners and gardeners
• Administration of annual contracts such as lifts, communal boilers, water pumps etc
• Arranging periodic health and safety and fire risk assessments
• Periodic property and estate inspections to check condition
• Arranging minor repairs to buildings, plant, fixtures and fittings
• Dealing promptly with enquiries from leasehold owners and residents
• Maintaining records on ownership

The law requires that leaseholders paying variable service charges must be consulted before a landlord carries out ‘qualifying works’ (works of repair, maintenance or improvement) or enters into a long-term agreement for the provision of services.

The regulations are contained in section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended by S151 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002).

Landlords and Resident Management Companies must consult with the leaseholders if qualifying works will cost over £250 for any one leaseholder. In a property with unequal service charge contributions, the landlord must consult all leaseholders if any one of them would have to pay more than £250. Similarly, for a long term agreement (over 12 months) a consultation is required if any one leaseholder must pay over £100.

Gem are able to undertake the required consultation with leaseholders to make sure that all of the costs can be recovered from leaseholders. If the consultation is not undertaken, the landlord may not be able to recover the costs over the Section 20 threshold. Gem charge an additional fee for undertaking the necessary consultation to comply with these section 20 requirements.

We realise that more and more of our customers wish to access our services 24/7. We have recently upgraded Qube, our property management IT system, so that debit/credit card payments immediately show on a leaseholder’s service charge account, rather than waiting a few days to appear.

Our website includes a leaseholder portal where you can access ‘My Account’. This allows leaseholders to access their service charge account on-line to view a statement, to make a payment, or to report an issue relating to the property, such as a repair request.

Gem now offer a range of payment methods for leaseholders to pay their service charges. This includes payment by internet banking, standing order and cheque. Payment by debit and credit card is also offered. An administration fee is charged when making a credit card payment to offset the charges made by the bank.

If there is an emergency repair needed out of normal office hours, we operate an out-of-hours service that can be accessed via our normal telephone number.

We also offer a financial administration only service for those who do not want our standard property management service.

The Financial Administration Only Service is aimed at groups of residents and blocks that want to be responsible for the day-to-day management of their block themselves, yet need someone to manage the accounting paperwork and act as an independent third party to hold and administer the block’s funds. The service works as follows:-

The prerequisite after you sign up for the service is we need to set up the details of your property/Estate on our property management software. The information required is:-

• Legal structure of the site with an address for each unit.
• Current resident, and their address if not at the property.
• Details of the lease for each unit, as to what charges are due; the percentage apportionment; is interest payable?
• A current/previous budget showing the heads of expenditure and whether there are various apportionment headings.

We would open a separate bank account in the name of the site, so all monies would  be held in Trust in compliance with Landlord & Tenant legislation, ensuring your money is always kept separate from other sites.

You provide us with the agreed Service Charge budget for the year. This would be loaded onto our system, and service charge demands would be raised appropriately.

Money would be paid out to contractors only when authorised by you.

Regular reporting, usually monthly, but could be more frequently if required, covering Income and Debtors; Expenditure and Bank Balances, are delivered to your personal account under our MY ACCOUNT portal. [Full access would be given to MY ACCOUNT enabling residents the opportunity to make payments online, at any time].

At the end of the year, fully detailed Service Charge accounts would be prepared and independently certified.

The service does not envisage us having any involvement in managing the property, but if the need arose, access to any of our services would be available to you on an ad hoc basis.

If you would like further information about any of the services that we can offer, please call or email us on the following details:

T.  01462 480481    E.  property@gemestate.co.uk