WINDOWS REPLACEMENT PROJECT
There are still some Owners who have not paid their bills despite formal letters to remind and several personal emails and phone calls. These will now be pursued through the standard debtors procedures which can ultimately result in County Court Judgements. Only by the 5th of April did we collect £255,000 of the £305,000 of funds required, which was our threshold to proceed. The missing amount will be found from existing reserves until the rest is secured.
We have had some excellent support from residents questioning the technical aspects of the windows and the procedures to install them – resulting in Orrins being called onsite to carry out investigations twice. The original architectural drawings from 1998 are inaccurate on some details so we have decided to carry out pilot installation in a flat so that we can carefully remove the existing windows, investigate and install the new designs. Once our Surveyor has signed-off the resulting process we will commit to the rest of the windows. The order for the pilot has been issued and the windows should be on site next month. This does, unfortunately, put the timetable back.
After some detailed debate about design, the Directors have re-confirmed the powder painted aluminium frame design. We have also determined that we can upgrade the windows’ acoustic specification (a further one third improvement) for a relatively small amount of funding. We will ask each of you if you want this option later but we expect the costs to be covered by what you have already paid. Please bear with the slow progress – we only have one shot at getting this right.
GENERAL BUILDING MAINTENANCE
Landlords are now required to seek Director approval before carrying out significant works in their flats. This approval should be requested via HML and is to ensure works are compliant with the Headlease (particularly the 5th and 9th schedules) and thus do not lead to damage to the communal areas and lifts nor cause undue disturbance to neighbours. “Significant works” includes replacement of central heating and hot water systems, removal of bathroom suites and installation of any hard flooring.
The contractors will be repainting the wall areas outside Lifts B & C, the 6 fire doors in the first-floor corridor and the end walls of the West and East wing, which has taken a battering from building works.
Although we had the rust removed and the fire stairs repainted last year, the rust that has reappeared on the top and the underneath of these stairs is currently being investigated by our surveyor as to the best remedy.
LIFTS
We are obtaining quotes to replace the floor in Lift B and that may include replacing the flooring in A and D. The initial quote we received was very high. It does require specialist flooring. We have also asked them to replace a button in Lift C and Lift D.
GARDENING
Our current gardeners, Gavin Jones, have been amalgamated with another company called Nurture. This has resulted in a change of management and gardeners, but they will continue to maintain the same high standard of work at the same cost.
Mulched bark has been applied to all flower beds for a good growing season.
All of the lawns are presently being scarified, weed killer applied and fertilized ready for a good summer lawn.
The anti-climb paint on the rear metal garden railings has been removed because it is no longer legal to apply anti-climb paint under a height of 6 feet and it will be repainted with hard wearing black gloss paint The tall rowan trees in the back garden will be reshaped correctly in the coming month.
GYM / SAUNA
The half yearly service has been carried out and several machines need parts and they are on order.
Reminder to all users to please put equipment (particularly weights) back where they belong. There is not a gym attendant.
SECURITY
New Mesh is being placed between the gap on the East wing wall and the fencing to increase the security perimeter to reduce the ability of thieves to enter our car park.
We have reduced the closing time of the gates to 6 seconds, but we still notice people entering and leaving the garage without checking behind them that the gates are closed and no-one can enter. Our security is only as good as we make it by being personally vigilant.
CARETAKER
Michael will not be in during the Easter long weekend and also bank holiday Monday May 6th.
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