GNTOWER UPDATE december 09
change of managing agent in 2010 Following the review of management arrangements and resourcing for GNT, the Board of Great Northern Tower Management Company Ltd has appointed Rendall and Rittner Regional Limited (R&R) as new Managing Agents for the building. The handover will take place over coming weeks in as smooth a manner as possible. Rendall & Rittner was established in 1990 and is currently responsible for the management of some 20,000 units, 800 of which are in the north-west, where they established a regional subsidiary and Manchester base in 2008. The Board looked at other agents, and spoke to and visited leaseholders in other blocks, before making their final decision earlier this month. This update has been produced by a group of leaseholders and residents who have a positive commitment to the Great Northern Tower; four of them act as initial Directors of GNTMC Ltd, the GNT management company, following takeover from the developers in spring 2009.
They were particularly impressed by R&Rʼs strategy of combining first-rate customer service with economies of scale in respect of purchasing, which are then used to reduce service charges - and by the strong and clear endorsement from those with first hand experience of R&R. Their website is www.rendallandrittner.co.uk. Our new contacts are Director Matt Kirk and Amaly Hind in the Manchester office - with the backup of the London-based team. We have asked R&R to act immediately with regard to collecting the service charges for the building for the coming year, so they will write to every leaseholder this week to introduce themselves, and to provide the demand for 2010 and details of how to pay. Weʼre discussing arrangements for sensible handover for the remainder of the management responsibilities,and will confirm these in the new year. Meanwhile, we wish everyone a happy holiday and all the best for 2010.
service charge: one year payable in advance, or sign up to monthly DD, please Every leaseholder signed a lease to buy their flat which states that service charges for each year are payable in full at the beginning of the year. For effective management of the block and to be sure that regular commitments can be met comfortably, we have to make some changes for 2010, as set out in the last newsletter.
Your service charges for 2010 will be payable as set out in the lease, i.e. the full amount in advance and due on 1st January unless you set up a direct debit arrangement for monthly payment in adv an ce. D e fau lt w ill re su lt in immediate legal action. You will have details on the service charge for 2010 and how to pay in a letter from Rendall & Rittner this week - thanks in advance for your help!
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GNTGN TOWER DECEMBER 09 update
service charges
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2010 ☺✰✵☃✺❉☺
There is an increase in the charge this year, partly due to changes in medium and longerterm maintenance arrangements and partly due to a provision for legal and professional fees. Most leaseholders are aware that we have incurred legal and other professional costs in 2009 in respect of the need to tackle problems arising from the ground floor units. We have also been required to use our lawyers to address a number of issues in respect of residential units in the tower. We expect these cases to be resolved during 2010, and there may be positive accruals to the service charge account as a result. We also expect savings during 2010 from R&R’s purchasing strategy.
2010...plan for action The legal, technical and operational issues involved in a large, mixed-use, complex city-centre block like GNT require highly professional solutions, with good planning and communications. GNT is a prestige block that deserves a commitment to excellence. Over the autumn we’ve been reviewing management and resourcing, to ensure that we put the GNT “house” in order for the medium to long-term. We have been very much aware that our duty is to act in the best interest of all leaseholders, protect our individual and collective assets, and avoid onerous liabilities in future. Appointment of R&R as our new managing agent is an important step: we have asked them to act immediately in respect of service charge collection, and will work closely with both R&R and Stevens Scanlan over coming weeks to achieve an effective handover. Our on-site team of concierges and caretakers is, of course, a critical part of GNT operations and they too will be working with us and R&R towards ever more improvement in service and efficiency in 2010. Once basic handover arrangements are in place, we will be looking to a steady review of issues on our action list: including security, operation of the parking areas, waste management and recycling, and relationships with neighbours.
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Rendall & Rittner will send a letter to leaseholders before Christmas to introduce themselves and let you know how to pay your service charges for 2010. If you have any queries on the charges or h o w t o p a y, y o u c a n e m a i l matt.kirk@rendallandrittner.co.uk, or contact him by telephone on 0161 277 7610. Other operations will change only from mid-January.