Want to know more about why we do things the way we do here at Edinburgh Block Management? Today, we thought we’d provide you with some insight into how we price our services, what your money gets you and what sets us apart from other factoring companies.
We’ve been helping flat owners organise and care for the shared space in their buildings since 2016 at an affordable price, and providing greater transparency into what we do for the buildings we manage is one of our key values. So without further ado, here’s what you need to know about our factoring services to help you find out if we’re right for your building.
What’s included - going above and beyond
In a city as old as Edinburgh, tenement buildings need regular upkeep - something that is regrettably often neglected, causing unattractive crumbling facades as well as potentially serious safety issues.
Edinburgh Block Management carries out regular roof inspections, stair cleaning and lighting maintenance as standard. This sets us apart from most other similar factoring companies who wouldn’t offer these services as a standard part of all their packages. We do this because frequent maintenance can mean significant savings in the long term.
By carrying out annual roof maintenance, we can address issues early on before they develop into something that will require extensive and expensive work. As part of our basic annual package, we will also carry out necessary gutter/downpipe maintenance as well as slate fixes so that everything remains safe and in good working order throughout your contract with Edinburgh Block Management.
Why we charge you annually
Our most popular option is for households to be charged annually rather than monthly or quarterly for a few reasons. First of all, this allows us to carry out roof and lighting maintenance at the start of the contract period, addressing any pre-existing issues in these areas from the get-go.
Charging factoring fees annually also means we’re able to provide an affordable service without any surprise costs hidden in the small print for the remainder of the year. Flat owners don’t have to worry about remembering to pay a monthly fee or setting up a direct debit. After everyone in the building has paid their annual fee, you don’t have to spare another thought to your building’s communal maintenance unless any issues crop up - and when they do, help is just a quick call away.
Our annual maintenance charging system doesn’t mean we’ll only visit the building once a year - far from it!
On top of regular stair cleaning (if you’ve chosen a package that includes this) we’ll conduct regular inspections of the property to make sure everything is in order and keep a photographic record of our visits. Our inspections will review cleanings, check door locks, make note of unwanted rubbish and bikes in communal areas, review for leaks and overflows and make sure that outside communal spaces are kept in good condition.
The annual charge also doesn’t mean you’re tied to a long-term contract – when the twelve months nearing an end, you’re free to decide whether you want to cancel your contract with us or go elsewhere.
Giving the power back to you
Of course, there will always be something that comes up that falls outside the regular services outlined in our management packages.
When issues like this arise, most property factoring services would go ahead and organise the work to be completed on their own, simply sending the bill to everyone affected.
However, we believe in doing things differently. Take for example if owners decided they wished to refurbish their internal stairwell. After being informed of the request, we would then go ahead and get several quotes from different tradespeople and then invite everyone from the building to vote online on which company to go with. Owners can also provide any preferred contractors to be invited to tender for maintenance work.
This means the process could take a little bit longer, but we believe that the upsides make it worth the effort. We want to give the owners of the building greater transparency into what works are being completed ahead of time and a chance to choose the tradespeople they trust the most at the best possible price - after all, it’s their building, home and investment.
Add-on services
Our core factoring service packages cover more ground than those by most other companies, but every building is different and sometimes there are additional services needed on a regular basis.
There’s no need to go to a different company and juggle several different bills, though, as these services can be easily added to your annual bill with Edinburgh Block Management. Some add-on services you might want to consider adding onto your package include grass-cutting, communal electricity, car park permits, window cleaning and lift maintenance.
Custom made-packages can also be established to suit your requirements for large buildings and developments.
We take the hassle out of shared maintenance and repairs so that you never again have to chase up neighbours for their share of a repair in an area you all share. Whether you’re a resident, a landlord or a leaseholder, the ease and transparency Edinburgh Block Management can offer you is unmatched. But don’t just take our word for it - have a look at what some of our existing customers have to say about us!
If you like the sound of how we do things, have a look on our pricing page for more information on our different factoring services and get in touch.
From where they will get their funds for roof repair and replacements?