Efficiency helps cut building charges

Bristol Evening Post - Tuesday February 24, 2009 

Many people living in apartment blocks in the Greater Bristol area are paying too much for some of their shared services because there is no strong management in place, according to a block management expert.

Andrew Simmonds of BNS Management Services says good pro-active management of an apartment block can cut running costs. In many cases nobody is taking responsibility for a building so problems are only dealt with when they arise.

BNS was set up in 2006 to help tenants manage blocks and has now grown to be the largest independent apartment block managers in the Greater Bristol area, managing 76 buildings.

Said Andrew Simmonds: “Typically apartment blocks have a small committee of people running them but because no individual has responsibility they really only act when something goes wrong. If you are calling a plumber in an emergency or a roofer when there is a leak then you will pay top prices.

“We have found that we can make savings on everything from insurance costs to cleaning, decorating and repairs – partly due to buying power of managing a large number of blocks but also simply by taking responsibility where in the past there was none.

“We are now working alongside developers to try to get the management of buildings right from the outset. A few years ago developers simply outsourced management to a large management company with no local presence or left it to tenants to do their own thing.

“They are now recognising that having professional management on the doorstep can make real savings and people want to live in apartments where the management is hassle-free and as cheap as possible.”

BNS Management Services based in Badminton Road, Downend has created five new jobs as it has expanded in the last two years.

As well as practical help they ensure that tenants do not fall foul of the raft of legislative pitfalls that those who look after apartments and flats must comply with.

Andrew said: “The paperwork and contracts must comply with regulations and it can cause a real headache for those who volunteer to oversee the management. If you have not issued the paperwork in the right way then you can soon find yourself in a minefield of legal difficulties.

“By being pro-active and anticipating problems before they arise huge savings can be made and those living in the blocks find they can cut the cost of their services significantly as well as the time spent in dealing with issues.”