The overall management of various amenities within a multi-property structure is called Block Management. Property Management and Block Management are two distinct types of management, despite their similar names and services.
Property Management focuses on single-tenanted properties, whereas a Block Management team oversees the overall operation of a flat complex. Budgeting, accounting, maintenance, and service charge collection are only a few of the responsibilities of block management.
What is Block Management?
A company’s management of social areas and maintenance in a building with several residential or mixed-use units is called Block Management. Maintenance, service charge collection, and ground rent collection are all responsibilities of management.
How does Block Management work?
Professional Block Management agents are employed on behalf of a property’s freeholders or Residents’ Flat Management Companies (RMCs), which are businesses that represent the leaseholders’ interests. The managing agent is responsible for collecting service charges, ground rent, and insurance payments, such as insurance payments, and communal amenities.
The Block Manager also serves as a liaison between freeholders and contractors, ensuring that any development proceeds without a hitch. The position necessitates a thorough knowledge of relevant legislation and finances. Depending on the task at hand, Block Managers operate both in the office and in the field.
How is Block Management different from Property Management?
Property Managers are in charge of the day-to-day operations of a single tenancy. In contrast, Block Managers are in charge of communal areas, shared utilities, and building maintenance in a multi-tenancy structure. Some of their duties overlap, such as general maintenance, and Property Managers will spend a significant amount of time communicating with Block Managers to handle concerns on behalf of their clients.
What are the Block Manager’s primary responsibilities?
The following are some of the tasks of a Block Manager:
- General Maintenance: Block Managers are in charge of general cleaning and routine maintenance obligations for community facilities, such as gardening, painting, and decorating. Repairs to the car park, stairwells, sidewalks, and monthly compliance site visits are all part of facility maintenance.
- Health & Safety Compliance: Block Managers verify that all property components comply with current UK construction law, based on related legislation. All routine safety inspections, such as lift maintenance, asbestos testing, and fire safety inspections, shall be coordinated by the manager.
- Administrative Support: Block Managers also provide administrative help by keeping in touch with all contractors on the property and ensuring they are paid in full and on time. Administrative responsibilities include facilitating meetings for Property Managers, bookkeeping, and keeping accurate records of inspections, contracts, and any on-site building plans.
- Budgeting: Budgeting helps Block Managers ensure that the management account has the necessary funds for emergency repairs. Budgeting responsibilities also include reviewing contracts for any significant work to ensure that no additional fees are imposed and that large-scale expenses are appropriately spent.
- Insurance: Block Managers are responsible for collecting service costs, which go toward the general building insurance of the property. Block Managers will also supply relevant information to insurance firms about the building’s occupants and any owner-occupied flats.
Block Managers are responsible for everything from bookkeeping to maintenance and repairs. A professional managing agent will be familiar with leasehold and tenancy legislation, financial budgeting, and the full range of obligations that come with monitoring the upkeep of a large facility.
Learn more about block management services by contacting us anytime and we will put you in touch with someone to provide you with FREE expert advice.