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For advertising enquiries call 0845257 6374 or visit www.flat-living.co.uk lesleyDavisEditor lesleydavis@flat-living.co.uk WarwickSmithConsultant Publisher warwick@flat-living.co.uk NeilPorteousCommercial Director neil@flat-living.co.uk Suehodnett SubscriptionsAdministrator suehodnett@flat-living.co.uk circulation enquiries circulation@flat-living.co.uk Shopenquiries shop@flat-living.co.uk Directory enquiries directory@flat-living.co.uk Publishedby www.flat-living.co.uk Ltd 5 Addisons Way, Lilleshall, Newport TF10 9HH tel 0845 257 6374 fax 0845 257 6319 email info@flat-living.co.uk

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Issue 13 flat-living.co.uk

Stay warm and safe this winter

Welcome to the firSt iSSue of Flat Living for 2013

and a very Happy New Year to all our readers. As we were putting this issue together before Christmas, 2012 was officially declared the second wettest year on record and was producing some record flooding, particularly in the south and south east of the country. Dealing with floodwater is something that all home owners dread. It causes a huge amount of damage, not only to fixtures and fittings but also to utility supplies and even to the fabric of the building. Whether or not you live on the ground floor of your block, the threat of flooding is something all flat owners should take seriously. In recent weeks we have seen snow instead of rain and freezing weather can be just as damaging to property as water. Our feature on pages 58 – 63 of this issue looks at some of the problems that flat owners may face during the winter months and offers advice for tackling them.

Also in this issue, alongside our regular Advice, Analysis and ARMA pages, as part of our campaign to encourage flat owners to use a specialist whenever they need legal advice we look in detail at the work of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners, better known as ALEP. The organisation was established five years ago to promote best practice in the sector for the benefit of flat owners and freeholders. ALEP now boasts more than 140 member firms of surveyors, solicitors, intermediaries and managing agents with a proven track record in leasehold enfranchisement and has recently added barristers to its membership. To find out more, and for a list of members in your area, go to pages 46-52 of this issue.

The Flat Living team works hard to provide the best possible advice and information to flat owners on all aspects of leasehold life. As part of this commitment we have been further developing the service provided to readers via our website at www.flat-living.co.uk. If you log on to our site, you should quickly spot some big changes that will make the website even more informative and easy to navigate than before. We hope you like what you see and look forward to receiving your feedback.

lesley Davis

Editor

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You can now get Communal TV Solutions for your entire portfolio of flats

Finding a cost-effective Communal TV Solution for your blocks has just got easier Great subsidies available with our Shared Dish

No matter how big your portfolio, our Specialist Installation Team can find the best Communal TV Solution – and install either our Shared Dish or Integrated Reception System (IRS) in all your blocks, at the same time. What’s more, great subsidies are available on our Shared Dish solution.

To learn more about how we can provide the right Communal TV Solution for your blocks, simply get in touch with us today. We’ll get the process started with a free, no-obligation, estimate and free survey.

Your own Account Manager – looking after you from start to finish

As soon as you get in touch, you’ll be assigned a personal Account Manager who’ll do a free survey of your block(s) and follow up with a free estimate. They’ll offer expert advice and support throughout the process – so your installation will be as hassle free as possible.

Benefits of a Shared Dish:

One dish can supply Sky TV to an entire block Fantastic subsidies available We’ll talk to your residents for you No need for individual minidishes –and we’ll remove any existing dishes as part of the service

Benefits of our IRS:

Platform-neutral so residents can choose their TV provider – Sky, Freeview or freesat from BBC/ITV Discreet installation, quality guaranteed by Sky CCTV option for added building security

Don’t miss out – register today

For a free survey and free estimate go to sky.com/managers to register or call 08442 411 678

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