Manchester has led the way in the trend for city centre living. Gleaming apartment blocks dominant the city’s skyline. The centre of town is now a mixed use area. Residents live right in the thick of the shops, bars and restaurants. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the bright lights of the big city. And the short walk to work isn’t bad either.
Apartment living is easy. Especially for young singletons. These are low maintenance properties. Residents don’t have to worry about all the hassles that go with owning a house. They maintain the interior of their own apartment, while a management company takes care of everything else. Owners pay a monthly or quarterly service charge for maintenance of the outside of the building, plus all of the communal areas. If anything breaks or needs fixing, then in theory the managing agents should take care of it.
However, block management in Manchester doesn’t always work out like that. Some companies are notoriously slow in responding to issues. From the residents’ perspective it can seem like they’re being charged an awful lot of money for not much in return.
Not every apartment owner releases that they are free to switch management companies. If consent can be sought from a majority of residents then it’s possible to change providers. Property management in Manchester doesn’t have to mean high charges and poor service. Residents can be proactive and initiate change. It’s time that standards were raised and there are quality providers waiting to step in and do just that.
