My DS owns a flat with a share of freehold and until relatively recently the three owners of the three flats (large converted Victorian house) have managed maintenance issues pretty successfully themselves. However a couple of years ago a young and very assertive couple purchased one of the flats and have been extremely vocal about what, in their view, needs to be done to the place. They seem to have far more available money than the other two flat owners and very ambitious ideas. They want to spend £8,000 on hard-landscaping the front garden alone. This comes on top of £12,000 already spent over two years on internal decoration of communal areas and having some flat roofing done. My sister is still in shock at being required to pay a share of £2,500 for a poor internal painting job that she and the other neighbour could have done for the cost of the paint.
The three owners have fallen out badly over this. My sister's a shy, quiet sort of person and feels very bullied.
I have a friend in a flat in Edinburgh who introduced me to the idea of the factor, who manages all this sort of thing. Is there an English equivalent? Does anyone who uses a professional manager for a share of freehold property have any idea how much it would cost to engage someone to keep an eye on and negotiate maintenance issues, arrange insurance etc?