------------ Management Company
C/o Ringley Chartered Surveyors
Ringley House
349 Royal College Street
London
NW1 9QS

Dear Sirs

Re: ___________

I write to you as we have been engaged by -----(name of freeholder) in relation to the above.

As you are probably aware to meet national general housing needs planning permission has granted by the Secretary of State to add an extra 4 dwellings at Legra Grange. These dwellings are now permitted development which we are engaged to project manage and get built. The 4 flats will be two on the roof of each block.

Whilst we know there was some local opposition to the scheme now it is approved our focus will be on how to make sure we work with the residents to make the development run as smoothly as possible and this means us as Project Managers consulting with the residents and taking into account any concerns.

We would like to do this by arranging a meeting with the residents on ddmmyy. We have booked -----------location (katie ask GT and book for Nicola) at time.

At the meeting we will be happy to hear all concerns and will focus on a short agenda to include:
- design: what the flats will look like
- process: How do you build on a roof without damaging flats below
- security: what measures will be put in place to preserve security
- project team: to share with you in details of all consultants and professionals in the project team,
- materials: How materials will get onto site, where they will be stored
- lifting: What type of equipment is needed to lift materials to facilitate a roof top scheme, how will this happen
- weight: How the weight of new flats is distributed and how this affects existing flats. Assurances and calculations.
- weather protection: provisions to keep existing units safe and dry
- additional parking: location
- draft programme of works: expectations and likely work phases
- working hours: as permitted by the Council 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Please note that whilst Saturday working 8am to 1pm is permitted it has been agreed with the Client that the developer will NOT be permitted to work weekends save for any one off special arrangement with the Highways Authority for hoisting or craning steel structures.

Whilst we appreciate the development will cause some unavoidable inconvenience there are a some long term cost benefits to owners that will save service charge money.
These are:
- common parts redecoration: post works decoration IS included in the contractors works,
- new roof: the building will get a new roof structure, bearing in mind the existing roof has already been patched and parapet areas redressed a new roof structure will push roof spending way off into the future
- parapet gutters: these will become the responsibility of the new roof Flat owners, thereby a typical service charge maintenance cost,
- garden damage: the building contact includes for making good garden areas

We look forward to supporting residents and addressing concerns during the project and look forward to meeting with you on ddmmyy

A copy of the planning drawings approved is ENCLOSED.

Yours faithfully


Nicola Chambers
Pardon Chambers Project Managers

Encs

To all owners and residents

Dear
Re: _____________ - residents meeting
Please find enclosed a letter from the Freeholder's Project Managers which is self explanatory.

As your Ringley Property Manager I confirm that I will be in attendance at the meeting to ensure that all questions are answered. Also I will ensure that minutes of the meeting are circulated afterwards so that any owners who cannot make the meeting are kept informed of what is going on.

I have looked into matters that affect the position of owners as service charge payers. Having done so I confirm that the Pole Properties case sets a precedent that POST COMPLETION all owners will have their service charge percentages reduced as the future costs of managing and maintaining the building will be split by ___ Flat owners rather than the existing ___ Flat owners.

For this purpose the new service charge percentages will apply from the date the the new units are signed off as complete by Building Control or the date of legal completion, whichever is the earlier.

I don't know any more than you do at this stage and guess we will find out more at the meeting on ddmmyy which according to the Project Manager's letter is to be held at --location.

I look forward to meeting you all there on the day.

Yours sincerely


Ringley Limited
(Chartered Surveyors)

Roof Development Tips
Below is Ringley's guide setting out all the issues that need to be
conceptualised when contemplating roof top development over the heads of other flat owners etc...

Much of this work may involve your Managing Agent but will fall outside the usual scope of a Managing Agents duties. It is worth meeting with the Managing Agent early on to consider how you would like them to be involved and agreeing this as what is important is maintaining a clear divide between what is service charge and what are improvements related to the landlord's development as the Tribunals tend to take a very dim view when things get mirky!

Roof development - what is best practice due diligence?

• To know that Building Regulation consent has been granted.


• Meetings consultation regime, timing/project plan, lines of communication,


• what benefits they will have and a contractual basis to confirm it (common parts decs, temp roof to BS standards, floor covering protection, alll materials externally hoisted, no use of lift (if any).....)


• A contractual mechanism to address concerns, complaints (named persons (I) project manager 24 hours, contractor 24 hours, site forman,


• Statutory protection (Schedules of Conditions or / Party Wall Award(s), the legal duty, the developers duty to pay, for a record of that part of the property which might be affected before work starts and 3rd Surveyor resolution procedures)


• Declaration on services. (or test the capacity of the existing services or whether new services will be provided (gas, water, electricity, drains, heating, lift, entryphone, common TV aerial, etc.)).


• Disclosure on key appointments for safety: Principal Designer, Building Regulations. Their experience and extent of responsibilities? Contact details, recourse for any negligence? And duty of care to RMC being contractually provided for.


• That CDM and Health & Safety regulations are being properly met and recorded. Planning supervisor, site access, site records, Health & Safety file.
  Handover of Health & Safety file at the end of the works,


• Disclosure on rest of the project management team are. (Who are they? Their experience and extent of responsibilities? Contact details, recourse for any negligence?). And duty of care to RMC being contractually provided for.


• Risk assessments - working method statements (builders' access, use of lift/hoist/crane, working areas, working times, disturbance, disputes, builders' WC and rest facilities, site office, skips, parking, loading and storage area, etc.).


• Siting of materials storage and contractual obligations to restore, replace, rebuild any damaged garden areas.


• Materials matching obligations: method/materials to enable any new hard landscaped areas or new parking bays to blend


• Whether the developer is financially and managerially sound or a shell company in the control of an inexperienced wheeler-dealer.


• Insurances: builders' damage/negligence, third party, retention period, guarantees at the end of the job, etc.


• To have a dispute resolution procedure in place before work starts: (i) if a flat is damaged; ii if the common parts are damaged. (Arbitration? Agreed arbitrator?)


• A policy about snagging or completion works and whether there will be a final certificate. If so, from whom? This also relates to the handover of common parts when the developer believes that he has finished everything.


• That new leases are to be consistent with existing leases,,


• That service charge percentages and obligations are going to be fair and in line with existing,


• Whether the management company to be bound into the lease, or whether the new flats are to fall off a head lease giving the disadvantage of invoking much higher Section 20 consultation thresholds,


• Appointment of a Solicitor for the RMC to ensure that they are professionally advised in accepting new units into the RMC (setting out the benefits to them)


• An agreed method of keeping both you and the lessees/residents informed during the process