The Industry Says . . . .

The Association of Residential Managing Agents’ (ARMA) 14th annual conference, 2009, took place in the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, westminster – below Flat Living provides a fascinating insight of the day’s events.

Brett Williams, ARMA’s Chairman, opened the conference and his third year in office by explaining some of the significant achievements and activities of ARMA over the last year. These include an ARMA representative being invited to sit on the Property Standards Board (PSB), the development of a Code on lettings in leasehold as well as a property manager’s guide to fire risk assessments which should both be available this year. It was then that Brett was able to announce that ARMA had signed up to the independent Surveyors Ombudsman Service
(SOS) which has since introduced a robust, efficient element to ARMA’s complaints procedure. The first guest speaker of the day, Baroness Maggie Jones who is the chairman of the SOS, welcomed ARMA to the scheme and elaborated on its importance during her session.

ARMA’s chief executive, David Hewett gave crucial guidance on the impending new accounting regulations: S152 and S156; the final critical elements of the infamous CLRA 2002. David announced there will be a requirement to hold lessee service charge funds in designated bank accounts and that a prescribed form of annual service charge accounts will have to be issued within six months of the year end. He reinforced ARMA’s support of the new regulations and their importance in the protection of and accountability for lessees’ service charge funds.

Undoubtedly, one of the key skills in a property manager’s life is to prepare for the unforeseen. This was what David Clark, managing director of Mainstay, spoke on and he provided delegates with some inspiring and creative advice on how best to prepare for and deal with various property management crises that can arise. This neatly linked in with a session from Andrew McKeer, director of Prior Estates Ltd, on arrears, debt management and the LVTs. Andrew and his fellow speakers, Andrew Raby of Thackray Williams Solicitors and Stan Gallagher of Tanfield Chambers, drew on their collective experiences to advise on arrears prevention, the legal process of debt collection and how the LVTs can be used on the process.

After lunch, delegates were treated to a dramatic simulation of a fire which opened a riveting session on the importance of fire risk assessments in blocks of flats. Sam Fentem, director of Premier Estates Ltd, related his experience of a massive fire in a converted mill of 72 flats which resulted in the complete destruction of the building and many residents being left homeless. His powerful talk really centred everyone’s attention on the importance of carrying out an efficient emergency plan. Sam’s experiences were backed-up by his co-speaker in the session, ARMA’s health and safety consultant David Foster of Eljay Health and Safety, who provided guidance on the fire regulations and what ARMA is doing to provide further direction.

It was particularly beneficial for the Conference to welcome a government speaker, Simon Llewellyn, then head of private housing at Communities and Local Government (CLG), who described to the delegates that the government is seriously leaning towards statutory regulation of managing agents along with all other agents involved in residential property.

The day was rounded off with a lively panel session chaired by TV property presenter, Martin Roberts. The panel was made up of representatives across the industry, including Tony Essien, chief executive of LEASE, and provided a variety of opinions on some of the major issues in block management today. It was also an opportunity for the delegates to put their questions and opinions before the collective voices of the leasehold sector.

The ARMA Conference sold out weeks before it took place and was attended by over 500 property managers, accountants, lawyers and directors of residents management companies as well as representatives of government and other trade bodies. This must firmly cement it as the one true event for all those involved in residential leasehold and must surely by now be a regular entry in every property manager’s diary – this year’s conference will be taking place on 4th November so get it in your diary and book early!