FAQs
We’re sure you have lots of questions about working with us and we’re always available to answer them. Need an answer fast? Perhaps one of our most-asked questions will give you the information you need. Click on any of the questions below to see the answers.
Q: Who are the people behind Neil Douglas?
A. Neil Douglas Block Management Limited is a private company, fully owned and managed by Neil Kurz and Louisa Myatt. Neil and Louisa are members of the Institute of Residential Property Management and Neil is also an Associate Member of RICS.
Q: Who will be my contact if I choose you?
A: If you choose to partner with us, we will assign to you a dedicated property manager. They will be responsible for your development and act as your main point of contact whenever you need to get in touch. Before making your decision, we can arrange for you to meet them and get to know them in person. As our property managers work collaboratively with each other, our clients also benefit from the vast pool of knowledge and combined experience of the entire Neil Douglas team. For large and complex developments, one of our senior team will be there to provide additional hands-on support where needed. As well as a dedicated property manager, your development will also be assigned a member of our finance team to support them with the financial reporting, production of accounts, serving of service charge demands and collections of arrears.
Q: How many developments do you manage?
A: We currently manage over 70 blocks of flats and residential estates, ranging from 10 to nearly 400 units. There are 3,000 units across these developments.
Q: What criteria do you use when selecting contractors?
A: We are also happy to suggest reliable local and specialist contractors who we have worked with for many years. When adding a new name to our books, we always seek to ensure that the contractors we work with have the professional competence to complete the work, comply with health and safety requirements and have adequate insurance. If you already have someone in mind or have worked with them before, we are always happy to work with your own nominated contractors, provided they meet our minimum standards. At Neil Douglas, we do not charge a percentage of contractor fees when commissioning work, and contractor selection is always complimentary.
Q: What if I have an out-of-hours emergency?
A: We have a dedicated out of hours phone number which you can call if this happens. Over evenings and weekends, the line is staffed by our property managers who can deal with emergencies such as the failure of water pumps, entrance doors, gates or the making safe of damage caused by major leaks or severe weather.
Q: What is your fee structure, and do they carry VAT?
A: As a VAT registered business, our fees are subject to VAT at the prevailing rate. This includes our fixed management fee which we charge per unit, per annum. The majority of the work we carry out for you is covered by this annual management fee, the precise services of which will be agreed with you and specified in your contract. Occasionally, we may need to charge for extra work, such as the management and administration of major work consultations, which falls outside the annual contract. We will always let you know in advance if this happens, and talk you through the details of the work and the costs involved.
Q: Will you earn any commissions from managing our development?
A: It is our policy to be completely transparent about all of the fees we charge and don’t believe it is ethical to receive commissions from contractors and suppliers we appoint on behalf of our clients. Our mission is to help you achieve the best value possible for your development.
Q: Where and how do you keep client funds?
A: All service charges are held on trust and not combined with monies from any other development. At least one named client bank account is opened and maintained for each development, and any earned interest will benefit the development only. Any bank charges will be debited accordingly.
Q: Will directors see invoices and receipts at regular intervals?
A: As well as regular monthly financial reporting, clients can request to view the financial records relating to their developments, including invoices and statements.
Q: How do you deal with complaints?
A: We always aim to provide a consistently high quality and professional service in all areas of our business but understand that, occasionally, there might be room for improvement. If a client, leaseholder or resident of a development we manage is unhappy, we will first try to resolve it informally through talking to or meeting with the person concerned. If they remain dissatisfied, we will refer them to our
formal complaints process and the case will be fully investigated by a senior manager. In the rare event that a resolution is still not met, the complaint may be referred to our redress scheme, The Property Ombudsman, who will handle the complaint and find a path to a solution.
