Butlin Property Services

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Managing a Block of Flats

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Managing Buildings and Estates

Managing a block of flats involves all of the disciplines involved in managing a business. It requires specific skills and knowledge as well as commitment to the job.

Peter Butlin, Director of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby block managers Butlin Property Services, is consulted regularly on the management of blocks of flats and estates of houses. His clients range from Developers of new buildings and estates to long established blocks of flats going back to the 1750s.

Peter Butlin firmly believes that as a leaseholder it is important to take an interest in how the building is being managed and who it is being managed by. A poorly managed property can have an impact on the long-term enjoyment of the home and potentially its future value.

The landlord is responsible for the overall management of the building or estate. This could be an individual person or a limited company. It could also be the leaseholders
themselves if a residents’ management company (RMC) is in place. The majority of landlords in blocks managed by Butlin Property Services are RMCs. However, the block or estate is structured all parties have a common interest in ensuring its effective management.

WHY USE A MANAGING AGENT?

Managing a block of flats requires a professional, dedicated approach. Managing agents need to have a good knowledge of landlord and tenant law, building construction, health and safety regulations, service charge and company accounting and a range of other skills.

Managing agents take instructions from the landlord not the individual leaseholders. But a good managing agent will always be aware of the requirements and wishes of the flat owners. From keeping the lift working to doing the accounting; maintaining the garden to decorating the hallway the managing agent plays an important part in the life of a leaseholder and the smooth running of the building.

Whoever appoints the managing agent, as a leaseholder you pay for their services through your service charges. It is therefore in both the landlord and the lessee interests to have a professional and experienced agent who does the job well.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT FROM YOUR MANAGING AGENT

A good managing agent will be:

Knowledgeable

  1. Have a full understanding of the structure and meaning of leases
  2. Have thorough knowledge of relevant Landlord and Tenant legislation

Professional

  1. Be committed to best practice and to good customer service
  2. Comply with relevant standards and codes of practice
  3. Be a member of a recognised regulatory body with a Client Money Protection scheme
  4. Operate an independent complaints procedure
  5. Be subject to external scrutiny, and in particular have annual financial checks for all client accounts by external Accountants

Transparent

  1. Be able to provide detailed accounting for budgeting, service charge and year-end accounting
  2. Be able to support the landlord and the leaseholders in ensuring service charge money is spent wisely

For a free appraisal of your development please do not hesitate to contact us on 0116 270 3705 or leasehold@butlinps.co.uk. We will be happy to review your service charge and the management of your building as required.

Leicester Leasehold Block Managers – Butlin Property Services

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Butlin Property Services specialises in the provision of Block Management Services throughout the East Midlands.

The company has been trading since 1996 and now manages over 90 developments and estates from our office in Clarendon Park.

The Leasehold Services Team has 16 members of staff including 4 mobile caretakers with experience spanning over 35 years in the property management industry.

Our experienced and friendly staff are trained through the Institute of Residential Property Managers, RICS and through in-house training workshops by the more experienced managers.

We have established an excellent reputation with developers, freeholders, residents’ management companies, Right-to-Manage companies and solicitors acting for lessees and freeholders.

The company is regulated through ARLA Propertymark and the designated client trust fund accounts are audited annually ensuring your funds are held safely.

We have an efficient, systematic approach to property management enhanced by the industry benchmark software system, Qube Global.

As a local company that deals primarily with resident management companies we provide a cost effective, proactive service for you to ensure the standards at your development are maintained. The success of our business is that we are able to offer freeholders and lessees a high standard service tailored to their requirements. This is reflected in the high proportion of new business received from referrals.

WHAT THE INTEREST RATE RISE MEANS FOR LANDLORDS

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It’s finally happened: the Bank of England raised interest rates from 0.5% to 0.75%…

In November 2017 the Bank of England increased interest rates for the first time in 10 years from 0.25% to 0.5%.

Now, nine months later, they’ve risen again to the highest rates since 2009.

Those landlords on fixed mortgages will not be affected until the end of their fixed-term. Those on a variable mortgage will see monthly payments will go up. The average homeowner on a variable rate with £200,000 left to pay on their mortgage will see repayments increase by £300 over a year.

There are more than three million people in the UK on variable mortgage rates who could see an immediate, direct financial impact from the rate rise.

This is also likely lead to increases in rent, and the condition of property as landlords seek to recover lost income. It is also likely to encourage landlords in the future as the return from their investment  property is reduced.

The impact on the housing market remains to be seen. A likely outcome is however for many more households, unable already to get a foot on the property ladder, to be faced with unaffordable rents.

Now may be a good time to review your mortgage and see if you can get a better deal.

To protect yourself from future rate rises, look into locking in rates with fixed rate mortgage.

You can see what other deals are available online, or talk to a financial adviser.

Leicester Estate & Block Management Services

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Midlands Estate & Block Management Services

Our Estates & Block Management Team at Butlin Property Services in Leicester have been providing estate and block management services since 1998. We provide services in Leicester and throughout the East Midlands.

The majority of our clients are Resident Management Companies that own the freehold interest of their development. The residents management companies we manage are primarily made up of the owners of the flats.

For further details visit our Estate & Block Management website butlinls.co.uk .

Many of our leasehold clients in Leicester, Nottingham and Derby are landlords. Landlords that sublet their flats appreciate the services we provide.

We understand it is important to provide cost effective services and maintenance solutions. We also understand that tenants are attracted to well maintained, high standard properties. Butlin Property Services apply these principles to our developments in Leicester, Nottingham and Derby.

In this way our aim is always to maximise the rent return for our landlords and those that rent flats in the developments we manage.

Buildings Insurance for Leicester Landlords

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Let Property Insurance

Landlords buildings insurance is one of a number of crucial aspects for our property investors in Leicester and throughout the East Midlands. Landlords buildings insurance is there to protect their investment. It will also provide suitable alternative accommodation for tenants in the event of a major incident.

Butlin Property Services provides high standard buildings insurance policies for their clients. Through UK Landlord Insurance Services Landlords managed by Butlin Property Services benefit from discounted, high standard landlord insurance policies. The insurance policies are designed to comprehensively protect the assets and interests of a landlord

For further details visit www.landlordinsurance.uk.net

The savings for our Leicester, Nottingham and Derby landlords can be up to 20% due to the size of our nationwide block insurance policy. This is just one of the savings we negotiate on behalf of our landlords one of Butlin Property Services Management.

Landlords Letting in Leicester

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If you are a landlord looking to let your property, or you’re keen to rent in the bustling and historic city of Leicester, Butlin Property Services are here to help.

Butlin Property Services is the largest independent local lettings agency in Leicester. If you have a property to let, or you are looking to rent a home in Leicester, our friendly and professional team can help.

Leicester is a vibrant and multicultural city in the East Midlands. It’s the largest economy in the area and its population has boomed in recent years. Considered one of the top places to live and work in the UK, Leicester has a wide range of bars, restaurants, shops, markets and more. Train and road links connect you to London, Birmingham, Cambridge and beyond.

The Highcross is Leicester’s shopping and entertainment hub, with 100 stores, restaurants, bars and a multiplex cinema. There’s also the New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, and the award-winning National Space Centre. There’s even something for history buffs. In 2012 the body of King Richard III was found under a car park in the city. A new visitor centre close to the site tells his story with impressive effects.

So whether you’re a landlord looking to let a property, or you want to rent a high standard home in Leicester Butlin Property Services can help.

We can help you let or rent property in Leicester

Whether you are letting or renting a property in Leicester, our specialists have the market knowledge and services to suit you:

  • Free rental valuations
  • Ever changing database of prospective tenants
  • Extensive choice of properties to rent

We use rightmove.co.uk and our own website www.butlinps.co.uk to market properties. We also advertise in local newspapers and across social media.

Butlin Property Services provides services from 2 well placed offices in Leicester and Birstall. The office is open Monday to Friday.

Butlin Property Services cover all areas throughout Leicester and Leicestershire from the University town of Loughborough in the North to Market Harborough in the South.

LE1, LE10, LE11, LE12, LE13, LE14, LE15, LE16, LE17

LE18, LE19, LE2, LE3, LE4, LE5, LE6, LE7, LE8, LE9