SPS(M)FMCL
In December 2003, Fairview New Homes created St Peter Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Company Ltd to manage the 230 apartments of the development and at this time Fairview awarded Crabtree Property Management Ltd the maintenance contract of Scotney Gardens.
Each apartments owner (lessee) of Scotney Gardens is a member of St Peter Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Co. Ltd and, until October of 2006, Fairview acted as the Director of SPS(M)FLMCL.
On 1st September 2006, each member was invited to attend the first Annual General meeting of St Peters Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Co. Ltd. to be held on October 19th in the Maidstone Museum meeting hall.
Approximately 10 Scotney Gardens Lessees attended this meeting and upon the resignation of Fariview’s representative, a new board of Directors was elected. This consisted of 6 Directors. The main function of the Directors is to make decisions on behalf of all members.
In January 2007, the Board of Directors was presented with the annual accounts of 2005/6 to examine and sign off. At this stage, they were informed by Crabtree, who had by then been managing the site for almost 3 years, that by year end 2006, there was a financial shortfall of £41,712.13. This, they explained, was due to an ‘unforeseen over spend on repairs and maintenance, lift maintenance and communal electricity’ and the non realisation of incoming monies from un-sold properties.
Crabtree recommended that this shortfall be met by increasing the Service Charge of all Lessees who had completed their purchase of a flat before March 31st 2006. This equated to a one off increase of £178 per property.
Following a General Meeting of the newly elected Board of Directors, it was agreed, on behalf of the Lessees of Scotney Gardens, that they would not authorise this increase.
Furthermore, having examined the expenditure relating to Scotney Gardens from 2004 to the current date, it was concluded that the management service so far received from Crabtree Property was not satisfactory.
On March 30th 2007, Crabtree Property Management Ltd was served notice to terminate the contract with St Peters Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Co. Ltd. As per their Terms and Conditions, a period of 3 months notice was given. Crabtree’s Annual fee for their management services was £47,295.
Following many complaints from residents regarding the gardening, communal area cleaning and window cleaning services, which had been subcontracted out by Crabtree to Westlands Estates at an annual cost of £21,500, £26,000 and £19,550 for each service respectively, the Board of Directors decided to terminate Westlands contract as well. This became effective on 30th April 2007.
St Peters Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Company Ltd took over the responsibility of managing Scotney Gardens. At the end of March 2007 we were informed by Crabtree that we had £28.00 in the SPS(M)FMCL account and outstanding invoices amounting to £26,000 with a further £22,000 of invoices due for the buildings insurance premium.
With an initial frugal approach and cost savings wherever possible, major works have been carried out and at the same time a reserve fund has been set up for the future.
Some of the major works carried out over the last few years include:
In 2013, the Directors decided to put out to tender for a management company to run SPS(M)FMCL on their behalf. Tender’s were requested from various companies and was given to Peco Flat Management. Its owner, Peter Beirne had previously run Scotney Gardens with the Directors since its inauguration in 2007.
In 2014 The Right to Manage was obtained giving us a better control of our own destiny. This has also resulted in massive savings on the Buildings Insurance (40%) and in not having to obtain permission to change the windows of all 230 flats. A substantial amount of money would have to have been paid to Freehold Managers for window approval.
In December 2003, Fairview New Homes created St Peter Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Company Ltd to manage the 230 apartments of the development and at this time Fairview awarded Crabtree Property Management Ltd the maintenance contract of Scotney Gardens.
Each apartments owner (lessee) of Scotney Gardens is a member of St Peter Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Co. Ltd and, until October of 2006, Fairview acted as the Director of SPS(M)FLMCL.
On 1st September 2006, each member was invited to attend the first Annual General meeting of St Peters Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Co. Ltd. to be held on October 19th in the Maidstone Museum meeting hall.
Approximately 10 Scotney Gardens Lessees attended this meeting and upon the resignation of Fariview’s representative, a new board of Directors was elected. This consisted of 6 Directors. The main function of the Directors is to make decisions on behalf of all members.
In January 2007, the Board of Directors was presented with the annual accounts of 2005/6 to examine and sign off. At this stage, they were informed by Crabtree, who had by then been managing the site for almost 3 years, that by year end 2006, there was a financial shortfall of £41,712.13. This, they explained, was due to an ‘unforeseen over spend on repairs and maintenance, lift maintenance and communal electricity’ and the non realisation of incoming monies from un-sold properties.
Crabtree recommended that this shortfall be met by increasing the Service Charge of all Lessees who had completed their purchase of a flat before March 31st 2006. This equated to a one off increase of £178 per property.
Following a General Meeting of the newly elected Board of Directors, it was agreed, on behalf of the Lessees of Scotney Gardens, that they would not authorise this increase.
Furthermore, having examined the expenditure relating to Scotney Gardens from 2004 to the current date, it was concluded that the management service so far received from Crabtree Property was not satisfactory.
On March 30th 2007, Crabtree Property Management Ltd was served notice to terminate the contract with St Peters Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Co. Ltd. As per their Terms and Conditions, a period of 3 months notice was given. Crabtree’s Annual fee for their management services was £47,295.
Following many complaints from residents regarding the gardening, communal area cleaning and window cleaning services, which had been subcontracted out by Crabtree to Westlands Estates at an annual cost of £21,500, £26,000 and £19,550 for each service respectively, the Board of Directors decided to terminate Westlands contract as well. This became effective on 30th April 2007.
St Peters Street (Maidstone) Flat Management Company Ltd took over the responsibility of managing Scotney Gardens. At the end of March 2007 we were informed by Crabtree that we had £28.00 in the SPS(M)FMCL account and outstanding invoices amounting to £26,000 with a further £22,000 of invoices due for the buildings insurance premium.
With an initial frugal approach and cost savings wherever possible, major works have been carried out and at the same time a reserve fund has been set up for the future.
Some of the major works carried out over the last few years include:
- New security communal doors to all blocks
- Upgrade of Intercom systems
- Upgrade of TV system to include Sky Q
- Solid metal fencing around the perimeter of Scotney Gardens
- Planting of new trees
- Creation of flower beds
- Installation of CCTV cameras in all bin sheds
- Changing of windows in all flats (completion April/May 2017)
In 2013, the Directors decided to put out to tender for a management company to run SPS(M)FMCL on their behalf. Tender’s were requested from various companies and was given to Peco Flat Management. Its owner, Peter Beirne had previously run Scotney Gardens with the Directors since its inauguration in 2007.
In 2014 The Right to Manage was obtained giving us a better control of our own destiny. This has also resulted in massive savings on the Buildings Insurance (40%) and in not having to obtain permission to change the windows of all 230 flats. A substantial amount of money would have to have been paid to Freehold Managers for window approval.