See what you can achieve

At Urban Owners we know that our approach to block management - where the
homeowners are in control - delivers all-round benefits.

Residents in a block in central London decided to enfranchise to take
over the management of their block. When their insurance was due for
renewal they obtained a quote from the broker they had been using for
several years and found their premium was immediately reduced by
£1,000 because the broker was no longer required to pay a sales
commission to the managing agent.

"We get a far better service by choosing our own contractors"

The residents of one block were frustrated that the common parts in their block were never properly cleaned. After taking control of their block, they chose a new cleaning company. The cost of the cleaners was reduced from £120 per month to £75 per month. Far more importantly, however, the common parts were now actually being cleaned to the standard that they expected. They now live in a much cleaner and more pleasant environment.

"Our accounts are now up-to-date; everyone has paid their service charge"

The managing agent of one block was closely linked to the owner of two of the flats in this newly built block. Due to this relationship the managing agent never chased outstanding service charge invoices. After the managing agent was sacked and the residents took control, firm and decisive debt collection proceedings were instigated. Finally, service charge fees in excess of £6,000 were recovered, putting the accounts for the whole block in a significantly stronger position.

"Our agent asked us to pay £80,000 for works; we arranged it ourselves for £6,000"

One managing agent in London was blindly following the terms of the lease without considering how to provide a good service to the homeowners. The external parts of the building were scheduled to be re-decorated and they asked a firm to provide a quote for decorating the complete building. Their quote was £80,000. The residents were astonished. After taking control, the residents held discussions with a chartered surveyor and a more focused approach to maintenance, they managed to arrange for the works to be completed at a cost of £6,000.

"Almost half of our annual service charge budget is paid to our managing agent"

One group of residents used a managing agent to manage their properties. Only limited work was required, however, the agent was charging over £2,500 out of an annual budget of £5,500. By taking control, the residents were able to significantly reduce this cost.

"We created a better sense of community and everyone now takes responsibility for our block"

When the residents of the flats in a converted Victorian house decided to take control, the financial benefits were clear. However, an additional benefit was that the residents collectively started to take more pride and interest in their block. A social community was formed with residents meeting on a quarterly basis, over a glass of wine, to discuss and agree what action should be taken. Everyone had their say on what works were to be undertaken and money was spent on what people wanted.

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