For what is Management Company responsible?

[dazalock]

Hi

I dont know if this is the right place to post but here goes:

I own a flat which is tenanted. The flat is not in the main block but in the grounds, standing on its own, it used to be a steam house or something and now converted. I pay maintenance charges of about £70 a month which includes life maintenance, cleaning, and electricity of the main block, which obviously isnt used by my tenant. I have recently recieved complaints from the tenant that the flat is cold and therefore had it surveyed to find I needed it cavity filled, loft isulation and main door double glazing. I have gone through heat project and got it all costed. My question is, would the management company not be responsilbe for the block insulation and external doors, therefore should they not also be responsible for the inslation of this flat?

Regards

[LMT]

I own a few flats in similar circumstances. There should be an official document regarding the management company's obligations regarding the upkeep of the flats, as by paying a fee each month you have entered into a contract with them. This document is usually given to you when you purchase the flat, if you don't seem to have it amongst your purchase documents (ie provided by your solicitor at the time) then ask the management company for a copy. You need to know exactly what you are paying for!
The document is usually quite specific, eg mine details how often the building should be painted, woodwork be painted, windows cleaned. garden upkeep etc. There is no correct 'general opinion' or point of law which will cover your query - you are paying for a specific service, the details of which will be documented somewhere......the trick is getting hold of the paperwork and making sense of the clauses which relate to your particular problem. Be warned - often management companies have an obligation to 'maintain' but not to 'improve' - this may be where you come unstuck.