Property management

Also known as a factor, the property manager is the person or organisation that can use the powers referred to in your Deed of Conditions. This is mainly the responsibility for managing shared property, or any powers given by a majority of owners in the block or area being managed.

There are many benefits of having a property manager. We make sure your property is properly maintained, and are here to support you if things go wrong. In homes with no property manager, owners can find themselves living in buildings in a state of disrepair, where:

• the leaking roof is not repaired because some owners refuse to pay their share of the costs or give permission for the work to go ahead
• there is no lighting on the stairs because someone won’t pay their share of electricity and maintenance costs
• there is no running water because some owners refuse to pay for a plumber to repair the underground burst in the mains pipe
• in the worst case, a fire breaks out in the building and their property can’t be repaired or rebuilt because one of the neighbours hasn’t got any building insurance.

We can take these worries away and deal with them for you. We’ll work with you to make sure your building is looked after and that every owner pays their way and meets their responsibilities. Most Deeds of Conditions explain that a property manager must be appointed to protect the interests of all owners. This is supported by recent changes in the law.

Yes. We need a majority of residents to sign mandates stating they are interested in the service. If a majority sign up, YourPlace will organise an informal proprietors meeting and discuss the services available.

• Block Building Insurance Policy
• Management of planned maintenance, common repairs and improvements
• Stair cleaning
• Stair lighting
• Backcourt maintenance
• Lift maintenance
• Contents insurance
• Landlord insurance
• Internal repairs service
• Optional boiler cover
• Online Services
• Customer service centre, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to allow you to report any repairs and pay your bills.

Costs will depend on the services you require, the frequency and the type of property you live in. Please contact us for further information and we can tailor a package for your block.

In most modern residential developments, under the terms of the Deed of Conditions, each owner is required to contribute a float on taking entry to the property.

Title Deeds (deeds) are legally binding documents that give details of your home ownership. Your deeds are recorded in the Land Register of Scotland, the official register of land and property in Scotland. You need a solicitor to make any changes to your Title Deeds, for example when you sell your home. If you do not have a mortgage, you or your solicitor may hold your deeds. If you have a mortgage, the lender will normally hold your deeds until you pay off your mortgage.

Owners’ meetings are needed when an owner or we want to propose a change to the shared services or suggest improvements to the shared property.

To ask for an owners’ meeting, you should write to us at 25 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, G1 1HL. As part of our property management service, we will invite all owners to a meeting, giving at least seven days’ notice of the proposed time and place of the meeting. Where a decision is needed, a majority of property owners (both landlords and homeowners) must be at the meeting to vote.

If you’re not able to attend a meeting, you can appoint a representative to go for you. To do this, fill in the form you get with the letter inviting you to the meeting.

The owners at the meeting will appoint a chairperson. Following discussions, an owner from each property (or their representative) will be asked to vote on the proposals.

Part of our service will include arranging and taking minutes at the meeting. A vote will be taken and a majority decision will be binding. Landlords (for example GHA) who have tenants in the building will have a vote for each property they own. If the majority of homeowners cannot agree on a decision, the chairperson will have the casting vote.

In the unusual event that any owners want to reconsider the outcome, they can ask us to arrange a new meeting and vote.

The agreement is non-negotiable and is in line with the Deed of Conditions for your property.