The building, not a sales board

These photos show the sort of place we manage for residents: a block of flats, balconies on the outside, a home inside, and a corridor everyone uses. Nothing here is offered for sale or to let.

Tall brick apartment building with rows of windows and glass balconies under a clear sky — Brick flats, rows of windows, and glass balconies against a clear sky.

Outside the block

We notice the face of the building: brick, windows, and whether rain is getting in at a joint. A dark timber panel or a pale brick course is just the surface. The question is whether it is sound.

Blue and orange apartment facade with stacked metal balconies and white window frames — Stacked metal balconies on a blue and orange facade, with white window frames.

Balconies that belong to the building

A balcony can be part of one flat or part of the shared structure. We check rails, fixings, and water that sits on the deck. A plant box is the resident’s. A loose rail is a building matter.

A small flat with a pale wood table, a red armchair, a patterned sofa, and a window onto the street — Inside a flat: a pale wood table, a red armchair, and a window onto the street.

The flat stays with the resident

Furniture, paint inside a home, and a private kitchen are not our job. We step into a flat only when a shared problem shows up there, such as a leak from the floor above. We leave the room as we found it.

A long shared corridor with glass walls, black frames, a pale floor, and pendant lights — A long shared corridor, glass walls in black frames, and a pale floor.

The corridor everyone walks

Lights, the floor, and doors onto the shared hall are checked on a round. If a glass panel is cracked or a light has failed, that goes on the repair list. Residents should not have to guess who to tell.

A short record

We keep a note of what was reported, who attended, and what was paid from the yearly charge. Ask for it and we send the page that covers your building. Write to us with the address of the block.