Question 1

Cost of Cleaning and Painting

Accepted Answer

Q: Our building (65 apartments, seven stories) is due to be decorated this year. At a previous AGM we were advised by the management company that is was best to engage their in-house surveyor for this project. We agreed and a specification was drawn up. Initial suggestion: the work will cost about £80,000, and the surveyor fee would be 11.5 per cent plus VAT on top. For basically a cleaning and painting job (with scaffolding required for a third of the building), we felt this charge for a surveyor was excessive, so we asked about not engaging a surveyor for such a basic job (albeit expensive due to ‘access’). The management company have advised us that they can get their ‘major works’ department to take over, but we would now incur a 10 per cent management fee from them (plus VAT). Can you advise if this seems in order please? FPRA Hon Consultant Emily Shepcar replies: It is not unusual for a fee to be charged for the involvement with major works where you are asking the managing agent to do work which is over and above the terms of their management agreement. I would anticipate that this fee includes the costs of producing the specification of works, obtaining quotations for these works, reporting to the residents’ association, possibly carrying out section 20 consultation (although this may be a further fee depending on their management agreement terms) and the liability which is involved with producing the specification and signing off the works on completion. They are, effectively, acting in place of a surveyor. I would suggest that, to obtain some further clarity, you request confirmation from your managing agent on what this 10 per cent fee covers and they should be able to give you a breakdown of this. [Submitted January 2020]

Question 2

Cost of Cleaning and Painting

Accepted Answer

Q: Our building (65 apartments, seven stories) is due to be decorated this year. At a previous AGM we were advised by the management company that is was best to engage their in-house surveyor for this project. We agreed and a specification was drawn up. Initial suggestion: the work will cost about £80,000, and the surveyor fee would be 11.5 per cent plus VAT on top. For basically a cleaning and painting job (with scaffolding required for a third of the building), we felt this charge for a surveyor was excessive, so we asked about not engaging a surveyor for such a basic job (albeit expensive due to ‘access’). The management company have advised us that they can get their ‘major works’ department to take over, but we would now incur a 10 per cent management fee from them (plus VAT). Can you advise if this seems in order please? FPRA Hon Consultant Emily Shepcar replies: It is not unusual for a fee to be charged for the involvement with major works where you are asking the managing agent to do work which is over and above the terms of their management agreement. I would anticipate that this fee includes the costs of producing the specification of works, obtaining quotations for these works, reporting to the residents’ association, possibly carrying out section 20 consultation (although this may be a further fee depending on their management agreement terms) and the liability which is involved with producing the specification and signing off the works on completion. They are, effectively, acting in place of a surveyor. I would suggest that, to obtain some further clarity, you request confirmation from your managing agent on what this 10 per cent fee covers and they should be able to give you a breakdown of this. [Submitted January 2020]

Cost of Cleaning and Painting

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