Agreements with two management companies

[offenderuk]

We live in a property where the owner has a management company to manage the flat. However the flat is in a building which is managed by a different management company. The building management company are a bit slack on some issues (water supply issues mainly). I have asked ARMA about the situation and they say that the only thing that can be really done is for the flat management company (who we pay rent to and who manage on behalf of the owner) to lodge a complaint or suchlike.

I've talked to our management company & they have said that they do not have the agreement between the owner & the building management company on file.

This seems odd? Surely if a company takes over the managing of a property they should have to get all the appropriate agreements & documentation?

[pippay]

Im not sure that the Letting agents (by which I assume you mean the management company) should automatically have details of the "buildings management company) but the LL certainly would have.

There is unlikely to be a separate agreement between the LL and the Buildings Managment Company as it is probably a leasehold flat and they manage the entire block of flats for the freeholder so maybe this is an issue the LL should be chasing up intially.

It sounds as though you have details of who they are already.

What exactly is the problem with the water supply as it is likely the Buildings Management Company would only deal with problems affecting communal areas?

[Poppy]

OK, you have a contract with the landlord.

The landlord has separate contracts:

with the managing agents (which you term management company) to manage your letting of the particular flat on the landlord’s behalf.
and with the building management company who takes care of the building, common parts, ground rent and service charge.

If you are experiencing a problem, you should contact the landlord and/or the managing agents in writing. Specify a reasonable amount of time for them to identify and resolve the problem. If the source of the problem is outside of your flat, the landlord may have to get the building management company involved.

There is no need for you to contact the building management company (unless you do so informally and on an enquiry basis to find out what if anything they know).

Keep at the landlord/managing agents to get the problem resolved.