Whether you are a member of or deal with a Residents’ Management Company or Right To Manage company, there will be a point in the lifespan of your lift where planned major works will need to be undertaken to prevent a significant breakdown causing a prolonged period of lift outage.
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended by the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002) requires the Section 20 notification process to be followed when undertaking works resulting in a cost of over £250 per single leaseholder.
This means most small repairs to lift equipment will fall under the threshold requirements and can be undertaken without consultation. However, when undertaking more substantial works, the costs involved will mean that consultation is almost a certainty.
Consulting with Residents
Due to the costs associated with major works to lifts, if it becomes clear that a refurbishment or replacement is needed, the project will require the section 20 Notice to be implemented. This is when the plans for the works need to be clearly identified and explained to the leaseholders along with an outline of the objective, expected costs and timescales.
At this stage, supplying correct information to leaseholders is critical to ensure the project is accepted by all. Major works often cost substantial sums of money which can be an emotive issue, but well-produced evidence and plans can clearly demonstrate why such works are necessary.
Property managers, RMCs and RTM’s should ensure that meetings are held with residents at the earliest possible stage. Anyone who is unable to attend these meetings should be informed of progress via emails or leaflets to ensure the consultation process is clear, effective and meets statutory requirements. It is important to respond fully to any written comments from leaseholders.
Getting the Specifications Right
A correctly specified level of works has two distinct benefits:
- It ensures the client’s requirements are clearly listed so that a lift that meets and often exceeds expectations can be provided.
- It ensures that only those areas that need attention are addressed. Flat owners will have to pay for any remedial work, and it is easy to replace too much and leave them liable for the costs.
If the specification is clear, the lift contractors can supply the correct pricing, which will ultimately result in savings for the residents. The specialist consultant will draw up a full specification for your project to ensure adherence to the contractual and technical requirements for the building, client and those using the lift.
Consultation Meetings
Typically, these would have taken place face to face either at the property or Management companies offices. However, the need for these meetings to be held online is increasing to ensure everyone’s wellbeing.
The benefits of using this form of consultation, with people becoming more familiar with the technology, allows for more parties to attend at times convenient for residents/managers who ordinarily may have missed out. The project information can easily be shared on screen by the specialist consultant, taking time to explain the proposals and answer anyone’s questions.
We have organised and attended many successful meetings of this nature and endorse the use of them to ensure the project is communicated and accepted by all.
Expert Advice
ARDENT Lift Consultancy can assist by undertaking our independent lift survey reports, looking at the current condition of lift equipment and highlighting operational issues, typical energy consumption values, predicted lifespan and recommendations with associated budget costing, as well as follow up consultation meetings to discuss our findings and assist with the planning of any required actions, which is what we do best.
You can contact the Ardent Lift Consultancy team via our website where you can also find details of some of our case studies https://ardentlc.co.uk/case-studies/
