Managing Agents

[Hotpend]

Scenario: Managing agents - a limited company and a member of ARMA. I wrote to the head of the company asking him if he would let me know what professional qualifications he holds. I did not receive a reply. I would have thought anyone qualified would happily provide such information but I suspect neither he nor anyone else working in the office has any qualifications.

Is there any way that I can obtain information about the qualifications (or lack of qualifications) of people who happily take a lot of my money every year? Is ARMA just a Mickey Mouse outfit that people pay to join but does not require any qualifications?

[Jeannie D]

Originally Posted by Hotpend

Scenario: but I suspect neither he nor anyone else working in the office has any qualifications.

I share your suspicions. Did you catch the news article on BBC News the other day that the number of complaints by flat-owners to the LVT about service charges has risen by 46% in the last two years? The news report also said that there is a growing concern that "the whole business of property management remains unregulated". The Greater London Authority has appointed someone to lead an inquiry into the issue and it was suggested that any resulting recommendations may be adopted nationally. Of course, this will not be a quick fix, but I think that flat-owners unhappy with their managing agents and with unreasonable service charges must keep applying pressure by making good use of the LVT's complaints procedure.