Estate Management

A passenger lift must be easy to use, reliable, quick and safe for all users.

Maintaining passenger lifts within blocks of flats also has important Health and Safety implications for residents, visitors and maintenance personnel.

We only use accredited Lift Maintenance specialists who are fully insured to carry out preventative maintenance inspections and works and offer guarantees, where applicable.

Our Lift contractors also deal with servicing, repairs, breakdowns, modernisations and component upgrades. All works undertaken are designed to make a lift safe and accessible to passengers, to be eco-friendly, pleasing to the eye in its design and to prolong the life of the lift.

These functions are highly regulated and covered by a raft of Health and Safety legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act.

Whether it’s designing a landscaped garden or simply choosing trees and shrubs for your garden, a professional, qualified gardener can help.

Gardens are no longer an outside space for the children to play in; they are an extension of our interior, and a well-designed garden can increase the value of your property and can be a focal point for family and friends to gather…preferably around a pool or in a hot tub!

As estate managers, an important part of our service is to ensure the maintenance and appeal of our communal gardens and these are all kept to an extremely high standard.

We have a team of local, professional gardeners who can give you a free quotation.

As Estate Managers, we ensure compliance with the maintenance and refurbishment requirements and timescales set out in the Head Lease of a Block. This sets out the schedule of works required, the frequency with which these must be executed and the procedures that must be adhered to in carrying out the works.

Periodically, work is carried out not just to improve and maintain the building, but to improve energy efficiency, leading to warmer flats and cheaper energy bills for residents.

Other work can include:

• Other work can include:
• Interior and Exterior Lighting in communal areas
• Entry phone systems
• Automatic doors
• Satellite installation for communal use
• Water pipes and guttering
• Replacement windows and doors

We work closely with professional, reliable, local Decorators and building companies and would be happy to recommend them to you.

As a private landlord, you have responsibilities to your tenants. The correct insurance policy can protect both of you if the worst should happen. Areas of responsibility include maintenance and safety of:

• Heating
• Hot water
• Electrical appliances
• Gas safety checks
• Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations

Your property represents an important asset for you as a landlord, therefore you need to know it’s protected with specialist insurance in place. A domestic insurance policy will not provide adequate cover against loss of rent due to fire and flood, or damage to fixtures and fittings or glass and locks replacement or legal costs arising from disputes with tenants.

Also, your buy-to-let mortgage provider may insist that you have a landlord-specific policy in place.

Landlord’s Insurance comprises the following elements, some compulsory, others optional for added protection:

Buildings

This means the structure is protected against fire or flood damage.

Contents

If your property is let furnished, this will enable you to repair or replace damaged fixtures and fittings such as carpets, kitchen equipment and furniture.

Liability

This protects you against claims for injury sustained during an accident on your premises to tenants or visitors.

Home Emergency

This element can give you as a landlord the peace of mind that all call-outs are covered in response to emergency breakdowns to utilities or equipment including gas, electricity and water.

Legal Expense

Sometimes, legal disputes over unpaid rent or other disagreements means a landlord will need to engage the services of a solicitor. This can be a costly business, so an optional feature on the policy can pay out, should you need legal assistance.

Rent Guarantee

This covers a landlord against unpaid rent or void periods between tenancies.

Tenant Content Insurance

If you are renting your home, the landlord is not responsible for insuring your contents. Contents insurance for the tenant provides cover for loss and damage, or theft of your household goods. Some policies can include tenant’s liability cover to protect you in the event of accidentally damaging fixtures or items belonging to the landlord.

There are even policies aimed specifically at students in shared accommodation.

Block Insurance

This is the responsibility of the Freeholder of a Block and includes cover for garages, communal areas, car parks and gardens, as well as the building itself.

For more information, contact us.

we work with specialists in Landlord and Commercial insurance of all types.

They can advise you on how best to protect your assets and personal effects.

Please call Oscar Valdez, Lettings Manager, to assess your requirements and direct you to one of our preferred partners for a free, no-obligation quotation.

Colin Bibra Estate Management provides a parking enforcement service to its car parks.

Working with only the most reputable parking management companies who operate within strict industry guidelines, we help to ensure that only residents, their visitors and authorised contractors are able to use the car park facility.

With off-street parking at a premium, this is increasingly important and residents appreciate a quick and effective response from our parking contractors when they call us.

Our operators are members of the British Parking Association (Approved Operator Scheme) who must comply with a strict code of practice.

Wheel clamping and towing from private land is now illegal under The Protection of Freedom Act 2012 and parking control companies now issue parking control notices (PCNs) instead.

Our Estate Management team is responsible for ensuring that all drains and drainage systems at our blocks are clear and free-flowing.

Our experienced, friendly staff can give free, general information on any matter relating to drainage, including:

• Flooding
• Maintenance
• Tree roots
• Grease management
• Drain surveys
• Blockage

Nowadays, communal satellite and aerial systems used by blocks of flats or multiple occupancies are key features for residents, allowing them access to non-terrestrial channels, via a single dish connected to individual dwellings.

As one of Ealing’s leading Lettings agent, one of the most frequently asked questions is ‘does the block have a communal satellite dish?’

Our estate management team has a service and repair agreement with local, reputable TV aerial and satellite installers, who use the latest technology to deliver a high quality, reliable signal to every flat in a block.

Managing your tax affairs as a landlord with an investment property can be something of a minefield.

Legislation and HMRC rules are always changing and you need to keep one step ahead to avoid falling foul of the rules. It is important, therefore, to choose accountants that are experienced in handling this specialised area.

Did you know, Income and expenses must be declared by the landlord, even where a profit has not been made?

These must be recorded for inclusion in the self-assessment tax return, which your accountant can help you complete.

He or she will also prepare annual accounts regarding your buy-to-let property and provide tax planning and advice. Effective tax planning is essential.

Various tax reliefs are available, but are subject to change. For example, did you know tax relief is available against Property Management and Advertising costs, even Accountant’s fees! There is also an allowance for wear and tear on furnished lets. Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax and VAT are all dealt with by your accountant. All records should be kept for 6 years.

We work with established, experienced, accountancy firms who can give you the guidance you need.

Service charges, rents, all must be compliant with money laundering regs via the various regulatory bodies we subscribe to.

Our Estate and property management teams work tirelessly to identify and reduce any harmful situations or hazards relating to the safety of the blocks and properties we manage.

Our staff are all trained in Health and Safety legislation and our Lettings team can offer help and advice to landlords with meeting their obligations to their tenants.

For help and advice on Estate or Block Management, please contact our specialist Estate management team – Click here