Management proposal.
estatemanagement@seelandco.com 029 2037 0100 seelandco.com
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Tried and trusted
seelandco.com / 029 2037 0100
Welcome to Seel & Co
We’re a long established firm of Chartered Surveyors, Auctioneers, Estate Agents, Management/Letting Agents based in the capital City of Cardiff and providing expert advice on all land and property matters throughout South Wales. R H Seel & Co was founded in 1898. The Company moved to our present offices in Canton in 1992 with 8 staff and over the last 24 years we have expanded the business and the premises and now employ a total of 25 professionals and clerical support. In 2011, it was decided to incorporate the business and it was renamed Seel & Co Ltd. Seel & Co Ltd is a member of, and is regulated by the RICS and is governed by its professional codes of conduct and strict rules on handling Client’s monies. Seel & Co estatemanagement@seelandco.com 029 2037 0100
We are also authorised and regulated by the FCA and can arrange general insurances for Clients at very competitive rates. We pride ourselves on the high quality service we provide to your Clients, delivered in a professional and personal way. The Company as a whole can offer a fully integrated service in all aspects of the property market
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What we offer
seelandco.com / 029 2037 0100
Our services
Property Auctions Residential and Commercial Lettings Apartment Block/Estate Management Estate Agency Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor Homebuyers and Building Surveyors Property Valuations
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Why us
Seel and Co provide a personal and bespoke service to the development, covering many aspects of management and assistance to Owners. We are regulated by ARMA and regularly externally audited to ensure compliance. We specialise in apartment block management and use tailor-made software geared to the management of service charge accounts. In the case of blocks of flats, it is the Lease that defines and determines the responsibilities for the common areas maintenance and we work with you to ensure that all those responsibilities are properly met.
Our team provide a personal, efficient and comprehensive service and it is the quality of that service which is the most important criteria for us to achieve. New ownership, traditional values, investment in technology and the brand have envigoured the company to move forward in the modern marketplace. Through effective communications, careful selection of service providers and regular monitoring we aim to provide the quality of service and value for money expected by understanding your individual needs.
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Small things that matter We offer personalised services, and make sure the basics are right. It all adds up to a focused, full service outcome.
Relationship with Residents A professional relationship is generated with all Owners through good communication and personal service. Each site has a dedicated Manager and support staff and often residents come to know and trust these individuals. Advice is given in accordance with the Lease and fair to all Owners. Interactions are generally via telephone or email with a call back to gather further information to enable the instruction of contractors with site visits for more complicated issues. A record of current site issues is kept on an in house database with notes of current progressions. This list is regularly reviewed to ensure progression of all items is on a timely basis. Reports can also be made on our website. In 2020 we will bring Client and Tenant Portals online as part of a phased introduction of portals to enable where appropriate access to property , financial and maintenance information, documentation, bank balances, summary of debtors, visibility of issues reported, reporting of maintenance issues, service charge.
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Seel & Co have been very successful in ensuring our Community in Britway Court is managed well and diplomatically. They offer independent advice, legal or otherwise, to our Directors. They also ensure that we always have fully accredited and insured Traders for any work that may be done on the property. They are only a call away for any issue, and ensure a secure environment for all our Lease Owners.
Janice Holmes-Warley
Financial & Operational Management We will provide information and advice relating to the service charge liabilities and in conjunction with Directors prepare a budget for the client to approve to enable a service charge to be agreed and fixed for the year. We will administer the collection of the service charge including the issue of demands, receiving of payments, period analysis and accounting to the Client. Defaulting owners who do not fulfil their Lease commitment of paying the service charge/ground rent are pursued. Regular reporting to the client of expenditure, cash balances, and arrears in addition to access to the online portals. Payments are received by standing order, cheque, cash, direct debit, bank or giro credit. As Chartered Surveyors, we are strictly governed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and their Client’s Account Regulations. This together with their Clients Monies Protection Scheme ensures that Client’s monies are protected at all times. The department retains five block managers and four support staff ensuring that during periods of annual leave of your manager the block is fully supported throughout this period. All support staff have access to progress notes on recorded issues to allow them to give out current information.
seelandco.com / 029 2037 0100
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Lease Compliance All Owners are required to adhere to the terms of the Lease or the Lease defines the responsibility for various items such as the windows and doors of the property. Advice is given in accordance with the Lease and appropriate action is taken. Seel and Co in general will firstly write to the Owner highlighting the issue however if this is ignored or the situation persists then we will engage Legal action against the Owner on behalf of the Company liaising with facts of the case. Particulars of each case are considered using recent case law, such as AirBnB, if necessary and the appropriate action taken to achieve the long term goal which is given consideration from the outset. In respect of arrears there is a clear procedure of first and second warning letters on a timed basis and then the issue is passed to debt collectors at no cost to the Company to persue with increasing Legal involvement the Owners and Lenders in turn. In general Seel and Co have an excellent collection rate and are highly successful in obtaining the arrears from Lenders.
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We keep things running smoothly
Repair & Maintenance Management Every site is different and will have various common areas to maintain. Every component of the common parts will be identified and we will arrange for contractors to attend to the periodic maintenance of the internal and external common areas, which may include: • External hard and soft landscaping • External/internal window cleaning • Common parts external lighting • Door entry systems/automatic gates • Structural common parts and sundry repairs • Cleaning of internal common parts • Alarm/SOS systems (Sheltered accommodation) • Fire alarm, smoke detection systems, smoke vents, extinguishers and dry risers • Health and safety inspections • Common parts heating and lighting • Lift maintenance • Caretaker, concierge and warden management • Periodic redecorating and other planned maintenance Larger projects or major repair works are planned in conjunction with specialist project managers from specification, contract management, on site safety, valuation and completion certificates. Proactively we undertake periodic site inspections or meetings on site with Directors or site staff to highlight issues at hand and feed back the comments received from contractors or stage information about various tasks.
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We’ve got you covered Staff & Contractor Management Contractors are continually monitored for their skill set, performance and level of service to the Company or Client. Careful selection of the right contractor for the job is important based on the size and technical nature of any maintenance issue. All invoices over the payment threshold agreed are agreed with the client prior to payment, works are monitored and inspected where necessary prior to signoff. Contractors are duty bound to ensure compliance with data handling and tradesman’s insurances and these are tracked monthly. Payroll services can be provided at cost to the client for your employees, where applicable.
Landlord & Tenant Advice Many years experience is held within Seel and Co on management issues. Continual professional development is an ongoing process though industry bulletins, advice guides webinars and training sessions. ARMA has an extensive advice section available to the managers on a whole range of topics providing accurate and current information. Where further advice is needed specialists are consulted relevant to the issue in hand be it our in house Surveyors, who can provide a range of building or valuation services, or Solicitors to provide measured Legal advice. Seel and Co have a number of trusted individuals with whom we regularly engage.
Board Support Examples of Board support are as follows:A case was recently resolved where arrears were being demanded from an Owner who had declared bankruptcy. Once the property had transferred to the mortgagee then swift pursuit of the arrears resulted in the arrears being paid in full. Advice was given in outline regarding an ongoing Company Law situation where sections of the shareholders are contesting the Board under Section 303 of the Companies Act and calling for an EGM. AirBnB – Information and recent case law was provided to Directors in regard to the definition of “private use” in terms of the Lease and the construction of a case. Regular communication is essential for us to be able to understand the clients needs. It is also useful in assisting Clients to understand how we provide the necessary services. Regular communications would normally be with a representative nominated liaison person/Board. This can be done either via telephone, email or a Board meeting to discuss issues. Transparency is key to a successful working relationship and information is provided in a mutually agreed format understood by both parties.
Commercial Terms & Costs The length of the contract is nominally 12 months less one day and the notice period is 13 weeks. The management fees are negotiated in line with industry pricing. Major contract works or specialist projects beyond the scope of day to day maintenance are charge at 7.5% of the project value. The full terms of business which include supplemental fee levels is provided as a separate document.
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We’ll answer
seelandco.com / 029 2037 0100
Got any questions?
We have put together some of the items we get queries on regularly to answer any questions you may have. Should you have any additional queries that you cannot find the answers to in this section, please contact us on 029 2937 0100. • Attend to routine enquiries and requests from lessees and residents Included • Respond to solicitors’ and lessees’ enquiries regarding sales and licences Sales and transfers are dealt with under a separate fee payable by the vendor of the property. This also then covers solicitor enquiries in relation to the sale. • Attendance at general meetings of residents Included • Administration of insurance claims Seel and Co will administer and progress insurance claims for the common parts only. Should there be an Owners claim we will assist in the claim by explaining the extent of the insurance , the process and who the Owner should contact but the responsibility for making the claim lies with them. • Provision of information / completion of documentation for sale and / transfer of leases Sales and transfers are dealt with under a separate fee payable by the vendor of the property. This also then covers solicitor enquiries in relation to the sale.
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Repair & maintenance management
Management invoices are included Payroll is a separate fee
• Preparation and management of long-term maintenance and repair plan A Planned preventative maintenance plan is a specialist provision by Surveyors. This would be a separate cost to the Company to provide, typically £1500 + vat. Seel and Co would then take the planned actions and implement them.
• Arrears collection management Included, chasing letters paid by Lessee. Debt collection costs placed on Lessee or absorbed by debt collectors if lost.
• Implement day to day repairs and maintenance promptly and efficiently Included • Preparation of maintenance plans and contracts for plant and machinery Included • Advice on major contract work and the use of specialist professionals and contractors Advice and use of specialists included, costs of specialists to be borne by the client • Undertake statutory notification of major works Provided at a published fee rate per Section 20 project. • Obtain planning permission and building control approvals for building works, where required Organisational level included however application costs to be borne by the client.
Financial & operational management • Preparation of an annual budget for service charges Included • Regular billing and collection of service charges, including management fees Included • Provision of a periodic budget report of income, expenditure and cash flow Included • Arrange for the preparation of draft accounts in anticipation of an examination by an independent accountant Included, year end preparation and submission of nominal leger and receipts to accountant. • Preparation of a reserve fund plan relating to cyclical maintenance Included
• Provision of advice on block insurance and any other appropriate cover Included or obtained through network of contacts where necessary. • Reporting of operational performance versus targets, e.g. responses to resident requests, completion of scheduled / unscheduled maintenance. Included generally as part of regular communication with Directors.
Lease Compliance • Ensure compliance with the terms of leases and policy agreed with the Board and, where necessary, subject to landlord authorisation, instruct solicitors in relation to breaches Included • Represent the landlord at County Court, arbitration and Tribunals Provided as a service at £75 +vat per hour.
Staff & contractor management • Prepare job descriptions for employees and specifications for contractors when inviting tenders. Included for employees and for minor works. Major works are included as part of the 7.5% management fee or is undertaken by Surveyors if the project is of a specialist nature. • Supervise any employees and regular contractors such as cleaners etc. on behalf of the employer Included • Ensure appropriate training and compliance with Health and Safety and employment legislation for all staff and contractors working on site Tracking of training dates is included however course costs are a cost to the client.
• Payment of wages and other invoices 10
Landlord and tenant advice • Advise the Board on residential landlord and tenant procedures including statute and practice Included where known or through specialist advisors if of an intricate nature.
Board Support • Advise the Board on a suggested management policy Included • Provide a monthly status report of financial, maintenance and legal matters; Included • Report on significant lessee communications Included • Document management procedures and issues Included • Produce a periodic newsletter to residents and other circulars Included, printing costs are recharged. • Keep Board informed of status of agreed actions Included as part of reports • Company secretarial work, for example preparation and distribution of the notices for AGM/EGMs Included • Risk management, ensure fire safety and health and safety compliance Tracking of dates to ensure compliance and implementation of actions raised. Risk assessments done by the relevant qualified contractor at a cost to the client
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Thank you for considering Seel & Co to manage your property on your behalf. Should you need anything else please feel free to contact us. estatemanagement@seelandco.com 029 2037 0100 seelandco.com
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