Managing Agents Refuse Sighting of Works Contract
Chris Brady
Middlesex. The managing agents and freeholder is a firm of estate
agents. We have the external decorators at the flats right now, busily
painting each flat's window frames and cills. They're painting
directly over the old paint without cleaning it first, and painting
over the old and cracked putty thereby sealing in the damp and the
dirt.
The managing agents engaged the contractors without references to us
the leaseholders and without proper tender. We have had them before a
couple of year's ago and their workmanship was appalling then. They
are charging £6,000 (about £220 per flat). This will be added to the
already high service charge. The contractors are not registered for
VAT. They do not belong to any professional body to ensure quality of
workmanship.
We have written to the managing agents to request sight of the
contract of works, basically to check up on exactly what the
contractors are supposed to be doing as opposed what they are actually
doing. However this request has been refused. We have been told that
we can only sight the details of the contract at the agent's office in
Walton in Surrey during the working week between normal working hours.
Its quite impossible for anyone to take annual leave &/or to travel
down to Walton to sight this contract.
How can we obtain a copy of this contract if the managing agents are
refusing to send us a copy? One copy would be enough; I could Xerox it
and let other leaseholders have it.
What do we do if - like a few year's ago - the workmanship turns out
to be shoddy again?
There is no chance of buying the freehold because most of the flats
are sublet to tenants, and the owners are nowhere nearby.
Many thanks - CJB.