Leasehold Management

Consultation and Leaseholder Involvement

We will provide home owners every opportunity to help agree the scope of works and services before these contracts are agreed. We will therefore ensure that home owners are fully consulted regarding major works contracts and long term agreements, both in line with statute and with best practice guidelines for informal consultation.
We will provide clear and transparent breakdowns for service charge payers of the expected costs and works involved in new contracts, so as to assist in that consultation process.
We will actively support and encourage home-owners to positively contribute to in the effective management of their properties. This will be achieved through the use of focus groups, forums, reading groups and making best use of available technology to maximise participation.
We will give every consideration to home owners’ suggestions and initiatives for enhancing the service provided to our residents.
We will provide all of our home owners with a comprehensive handbook which is updated regularly, as well as newsletters and information sheets as required, and we will provide similar useful information on the KCTMO website.
Our aim is to provide accurate and reasonable cost effective service charges that give value for money to service charge payers.

We will provide estimated service charges at least a month before the start of the new financial year, so that leaseholders are aware of any proposed changes in service or charge levels, and can plan their finances accordingly.
We will provide detailed breakdowns on request of the components of actual costs incurred when final accounts are issued, and make every effort to present them in a clear and transparent form.
We will aim to produce accurate and transparent service charge final accounts within 6 months of the end of the financial year, detailing the differences between the estimates and final costs incurred.
We will provide reasons and explanations of any unusual changes in service charge estimates or final accounts when providing them to service charge payers, in clear language and in detail so as to reduce the need for enquiries.

We will provide detailed breakdowns on request of the components of actual costs incurred when major works final accounts are issued, and make every effort to present them in a clear and transparent form.
We will aim to produce major works final accounts within 6 months of the completion of the defects liability periods and agreement of the final costs with contractors, detailing the differences between the estimates and final costs incurred.

We will manage your enquiries efficiently, politely and fairly, respecting confidentiality and privacy.
We will take action to respond to any inaccuracies within 10 working days.
We will do whatever we can to resolve any disputes or enquiries you may have with your bills, or with the services or repairs provided to your homes, using plain language where possible, and including referral to independent experts where appropriate.
We will make ourselves available to you as far as is reasonably possible. This will include holding regular open surgeries, organising conferences and arranging home visits at your convenience in addition to being available during normal office hours.
Where appropriate to our role as landlord, we will represent home owners in discussions with the Council or other organisations.
We will provide a range of enquiry options including surgeries, one-to-one meetings, and responding to written enquiries by letter and e-mail. We will respond within 10 working days in accordance with TMO corporate policies.
Where we cannot answer your enquiries straight away, we will notify you indicating when they will be resolved and the course of action we will be following to reach that goal
Where necessary, we will provide links with appropriate staff members in order to resolve enquiries.
We will treat every enquiry with equal respect without discrimination of any kind. Where you need assistance appropriate to your specific needs, we will aim to provide adequate facilities.

We will provide up to date details and balances of any service charge payers’ accounts on request.
We will issue regular invoices and statements on service charge payers’ accounts to the appropriate addresses as requested, in a timely manner in accordance with the lease agreement or transfer documents, and where possible will provide advance payment facilities.

Send us any additional information that we ask for that will help us manage your property effectively and keep us in touch with you.
Provide us with annual gas safety certificates for any gas appliances you may have within your home.
When subletting your property, provide us with your contact details, a copy of any agreements and details of your sub-lessees.
Co-operate with us to help resolve individual issues by providing copies of any relevant correspondence and documents, such as letters to and from the TMO, evidence of payments made, plus details and dates relating to the issues.
Do not carry out internal or external structural alterations to your property without first obtaining the written consent of the TMO (including window replacements, loft conversions, alterations to doorways, etc). You may be in breach of your lease agreement.
Keep important information that we send you such as insurance policy details, Section 20 notices and your Leasehold Handbook.
Keep details of the person you have raised queries with so we can follow up issues easily.
Give us notice when you need to visit our offices, so that we can ensure your access and security, as some of our offices are shared and require prior notice for visitors.
Let us know when we have got things right and when we have things wrong.
Pay your service charges and your major works charges when they are due.

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