Hi all,
To cut a long story short, we bought a leasehold flat 6 months ago and have been chasing up the property management ever since we moved in. The flat was nice and spacious, within our budget and the estate agent promised that things such as communal areas etc would be taken care of.
I've been chasing up the property management for the upkeep of the building, which is currently filthy, not maintained, front door is broken and with no proper lighting.
The management company has never responded to anything in writing and the guy just calls us from an unknown number to ramble about how 2 of the owners out of 6 haven't paid for service charge and they don't have funds to do anything. That's a lie because the other 4 do pay and it ses they haven't bothered maintaining the building since years. It reminds me of the estate agent telling us how they prepare having tenants and not owners living in the building.
Anyways, after chasing the management company more than 10 times since October, I get an email with an invoice asking me to pay about 700 pounds and telling me if I don't, I will be in breach of my lease. It came across as threatening and they were not willing to share the invoices, receipts to see what the funds are being used towards. They shared the building insurance which is 4200 a year but for the remainder 3600, no evidence has been provided.
It's a 2 bed flat in an old building and nothing has been taken care of. We don't even have a proper front door, it's a broken door which apparently someone broke whilst breaking into the building. That's a separate matter and S20s will be sent.
I asked to have a meeting with the freeholder and it seems they're the same as the property management company. I suppose handling 6 flats is easy so they haven't contracted a company for it, saving themselves costs.
I'm just so shocked by how they've been twisting words and pretending as if we're not willing to pay. I've told them the gutter pipes are chocked and the water is leaking inside our flat damaging our walls, which is true. They refuse to cooperate and ask us to get a damp report to assess things and only if it's proven that it's from the exterior, then they'll send someone. They only seem to want money from us, and me fighting back is making them more threatening and aggressive.
I'm extremely saddened and shocked by their unscrupulous ways. I don't trust them at all and sadly enough, I'm the only owner in the building. Please help, I feel cheated and already got cheated by the contractors who renovated my property.
Who do I seek help from and what's legally correct/incorrect in this scenario? I'm desperate for help!