Factors and Property Managers
Factors and Property Managers are becoming something of an obsession of mine - mostly because I find their charges far too high - and their 'service' to be of very poor quality.
But hope may be on hand - as the Scottish Parliament considers a new scheme for regulating Factors and Property Managers - which will involve an arbitration scheme in the event of a dispute.
A public consutlaion exercise is underway - and the new scheme will cover an estimated 225,000 flats and tenements across Scotland.
To join the scheme, property managers will be expected to:
The scheme has been developed in response to an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation which reported last year. The OFT recommended that the Scottish Government take the lead in ensuring implementation of a self-regulatory scheme.
South Lanarkshire MSP and outgoing Minister for Housing and Communities - Alex Neil - said recently:
"There is broad consensus in Parliament that improved service for the consumer should be a priority. The Scottish Government wants to explore every potential means of improving standards in this area.
Property managers have a vital role to play in maintaining and improving housing stock condition. It is therefore important that homeowners have access to good quality and cost effective property management services.
I continue to take a keen interest in the passage of the Member's Bill being promoted by Patricia Ferguson MSP in this area. I support the outcomes it seeks to achieve.
We will consider further statutory regulation if the voluntary scheme does not produce the results that we need."
Good - that is indeed music to my ears.
But hope may be on hand - as the Scottish Parliament considers a new scheme for regulating Factors and Property Managers - which will involve an arbitration scheme in the event of a dispute.
A public consutlaion exercise is underway - and the new scheme will cover an estimated 225,000 flats and tenements across Scotland.
To join the scheme, property managers will be expected to:
- show clear and transparent accounting and billing systems
- provide clear, written contracts
- have an explicit and robust complaints procedure.
The scheme has been developed in response to an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation which reported last year. The OFT recommended that the Scottish Government take the lead in ensuring implementation of a self-regulatory scheme.
South Lanarkshire MSP and outgoing Minister for Housing and Communities - Alex Neil - said recently:
"There is broad consensus in Parliament that improved service for the consumer should be a priority. The Scottish Government wants to explore every potential means of improving standards in this area.
Property managers have a vital role to play in maintaining and improving housing stock condition. It is therefore important that homeowners have access to good quality and cost effective property management services.
I continue to take a keen interest in the passage of the Member's Bill being promoted by Patricia Ferguson MSP in this area. I support the outcomes it seeks to achieve.
We will consider further statutory regulation if the voluntary scheme does not produce the results that we need."
Good - that is indeed music to my ears.
