We know how important it is for you to have an input in the way your development is cared for, and we believe in working closely with RMCs to ensure their developments thrive today and prosper tomorrow. 

The Property Management Explained Series 

How we support RMCs – We’ve created ‘Property Management Explained’, a series of videos to help you understand what we do as a Property Management. 

In our third topic, we look at our specific role in supporting those appointed to look after their development. From explaining the purpose of Residents’ Management Companies, to how we support RMC Directors daily. Watch the video below to find out more. 

What is a managed development? 

Privately managed developments are those where the community is often managed by a Property Manager (sometimes called a managing agent), such as us.  

Our role is to keep all the communal areas (e.g. gardens and landscaped areas) and shared spaces (e.g. lifts and hallways) clean, safe and in great condition to help protect the value of the development.  

To enable this to happen, all the owners of the properties on the development share the costs associated with maintaining these communal areas. 

What is an RMC? 

A Residents’ Management Company (RMC) is often set up to support the interests of those who share private communal areas with their neighbours and to give residents more say in how their development is cared for.  

This is usually set up by the original developer of the building or estate and consists of equal members or shareholders, who are typically homeowners in the development. 

What is an RMC responsible for? 

The management and maintenance of the building and common areas, as well as compliance with the obligations of the deeds or lease for each home, is the responsibility of the RMC.  

They’ll also look after a range of statutory requirements, for example following changes in health and safety legislation.  

The Directors of the RMC, who are volunteers and appointed by the homeowners at the development, decide how best to achieve this, either by self-managing or, in most cases, by appointing a professional Property Manager, such as us, to do it for them. 

Here’s a quick overview of who’s responsible for maintaining the key areas of a typical development:

Why become a Resident Director 

In our experience, residents choose to take on the important responsibility of becoming a Director because it gives them the chance to directly support their neighbours and community.  

They’ll also have control over the day-to-day management and maintenance of their development, enabling them to use skills from their own careers for the benefit of the entire community. 

How do Directors support their community? 

We believe behind every successful RMC are passionate Directors who understand the importance of collaboration. They will: 

• Work with their development’s professional Property Manager to make sure the development is well cared for and safe now, as well as putting future plans in place too. 
• Determine how service charges are spent to look after the development and work with the managing agent to plan ahead for larger projects and major works.
• Provide clear instructions to the managing agent for all items that may affect the smooth running of the development.
• Represent the voice of the residents to make decisions about how the community is managed. 

Do Directors have any legal responsibilities? 

As a Director of a limited company, each RMC Director must legally: 

• Make decisions for the benefit of the RMC and its leaseholder members, never for the individual. 
• Maintain statutory company records, report any changes and ensure all mandatory returns are filed with Companies House and HMRC.
• Ensure the RMC’s service charge accounts present an honest and fair picture of the RMC’s finances.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, including health and safety and fire risk.
• Arrange the necessary insurance cover to help them fulfil their responsibilities as a Director, to ensure both they and the development are protected. 

How does an RMC work with a Property Manager? 

Appointing a professional Property Manager, such as ourselves, can help the RMC successfully look after their development. 

It’s a complex role that requires knowledge of landlord and tenant law, building construction, health and safety regulations, basic accounting and more.  

That’s why many RMCs appoint a Property Manager, as they can help the Directors understand and meet these requirements. 

Here’s a quick overview of our role within a typical homeowner-led development:

At FirstPort, we have over 40 years’ experience looking after communal developments of every shape and size, so we know what it takes to get things right.  

With over 1,700 resident managed developments in our care, we understand the responsibilities and complexities that property management creates for RMC Directors. 

Appointing us provides the peace of mind that all the admin for the development is looked after, as well as deliver value for money on large spends.  

Working with you we’ll: 

• Guide the Directors through the legal and financial responsibilities of managing a development and navigate any legislative changes. 
• Highlight health and safety, such as fire risk assessment compliance required by law.
• Assign the Directors a Property Manager who will support with the day-to-day running and maintenance of your development (everything from lift repairs and supervising contractors to providing regular updates).
• Offer or recommend a provider of formal company secretarial services to ensure the Directors meet their legal responsibilities as a company. 

How can you become a Director? 

Several ways exist, but the simplest is to express an interest to your Property Manager who can talk you through what it means and how you can get involved at your development. 

If you own a home on a new build development, there’s often a resident committee set up in the early stages which is also a great way to understand how the development’s run and what’s involved. Resident Directors are then usually formally elected at the point the developer hands over the last phase of the development.  

Already RMC Directors in place at your development? Don’t worry, speak to your Property Manager or the existing Directors about getting involved when a future position opens up. 

Whether it’s your first time selecting a managing agent, or you are looking to switch providers, we can help. To find out more, get in touch. 

We want to make sure you know exactly where and how your money is spent taking care of your home.

Having a Property Manager looking after the areas you share with your neighbours means you can sit back, relax and enjoy your home. We understand how important it is to have visibility of how your service charge is spent. 

The Property Management Explained Series 

We’ve created ‘Property Management Explained’, a series of videos to help you understand how we look after the communal areas you share with your neighbours. 

In our second topic, we want to clarify what your service charge pays for. Watch the video below to find out more. 

Why do I need to pay a service charge? 

Our job is to keep the areas you share with your neighbours safe, clean, comfortable and in great condition, which helps protect the value of your property. 

To do this, we require you and your neighbours to pay an annual service charge. Usually this is paid in advance either once or twice a year, but this depends on what your home’s lease or transfer document says. 

How is my service charge calculated? 

While every development we look after is different, our approach is always the same. First, we identify all the jobs we think will need to be carried out during the year to ensure we’re able to keep your development safe and well maintained.  

We’ll then calculate what the cost of completing all this work will be, before finally converting it into a service charge amount. This figure is then shared with you in your annual cost estimate. 

What does my service charge pay for? 

Your service charge allows us to keep your communal windows clean, lawns tidy and all the plants and flowers cared for.  

It’s also used for all the lighting, heating and cleaning of your development’s communal areas both indoors and out. And that’s just for starters. 

We also maintain the mechanical equipment that keeps your development running smoothly including lift maintenance, water pumps, security gates, communal heating boilers and fire equipment. 

Plus we organise health, safety and fire risk assessments to make sure your building is safe and sound.  

Finally, your service charge covers general maintenance and repairs, the insurance cover for your building if you’re a leaseholder, and the salary cost of any on-site staff. 

What is the reserve fund for? 

Occasionally, some longer-term maintenance or bigger projects may need to happen.  

This could be anything from replacing worn carpets, redecorating the outside of your building or replacing a lift.  

To make sure this can be budgeted for, we have a reserve fund in place.  

This fund is created from the additional contributions we ask for as part of your service charge. 

What happens if more or less upkeep is required? 

Sometimes, something unexpected happens that wasn’t planned for in the cost estimate, like a tree needs cutting down or there’s a leak in the roof that needs repairing.  

If we’ve spent less than planned, we give what’s leftover back to you. If the costs were more than budgeted then you might have to pay a bit extra at the end of the service year.  

We’ll always be transparent about what’s been spent throughout the year, and will send you an itemised set of accounts for the annual spend at your development so you can see exactly what’s been done and how much it all cost. 

Does my service charge cover your management fees? 

When you pay your service charge, a small portion of the money goes towards our management fee. This covers the cost of us carrying out site inspections, arranging maintenance and repair work, as well as negotiating competitive rates with suppliers.

We also take care of a wide range of regulatory and compliance activities to make sure the communal areas you share with your neighbours are safe.

And last, but certainly not least, it covers the cost of the customer service and other support teams helping behind the scenes to support you and your neighbours on a daily basis.

Click here for more information about the external factors that affect your service charge.  

Where does all the money sit? 

When you and your neighbours pay your service charges, the money goes into your development’s very own interest-bearing bank account, which we set up and manage for you.  

The money you pay into this account – and the interest it earns – can only be spent on your development. 

We’re always looking for ways to make things better for you. So if you have any suggestions, or need our help with anything at all, get in touch. 

There are few things as important as the place you call home. We’re proud to care for your homes, and so we wanted to share with you what we do as your property manager. 

The Property Management Explained series 

We’ve created ‘Property Management Explained’, a series of videos to help you understand how we look after the communal areas you share with your neighbours. 

In our first topic, we want to tell you about how we take care of your home. Watch the video below to find out more. 

We’re FirstPort, your property management company 

Our job is to keep the areas you share with your neighbours safe, clean, comfortable and in great condition, which helps to protect the value of your property too. 

We’ve been doing this for more than 40 years and our property management teams, whether visiting or based at your development, are here to go the extra mile to make sure you and your neighbours can sit back, relax and enjoy your homes. 

We take the chores off your hands 

We make sure your communal areas are looked after and kept clean and tidy. From replacing light bulbs in the corridors to making sure the gardens are planted and watered, we handle all the day-to-day maintenance around your property. 

We take care of the bigger tasks too 

We handle the everyday jobs, but we also make sure the big repairs get sorted too. If the lifts need refurbishing or replacing, a storm has damaged the roof, or the building needs a fresh coat of paint, we’ll get it sorted.  

That means you don’t need to worry about finding the best person for the job, getting multiple quotes, or figuring out how to split the bill with your neighbours. We organise it all for you. 

We look to solve problems before they cause you any trouble. 

Our Property Managers are always on the lookout for things that need improving when they’re at your development – they want to try and spot things that need fixing before you even notice them.  

But if something’s not quite right, just let us know and we’ll be around to sort it as soon as we can. 

We’ve got a network of approved experts to help you 

Usually, bigger jobs need specialists to carry them out. So, we’ve brought together a network of experts, each approved by us with the right credentials to do the job safely and professionally.  

So, if a tree is threatening the building’s foundations or there’s a technical problem with the lift, one of our Property or Development Managers will get the ball rolling, and make sure the right specialist for the job is there to fix it. 

If there’s an emergency, we’ll do all we can to help you 

If something goes wrong, we do everything we can to get the problem sorted, and to keep you comfortable while we’re sorting it. 

We bring people together 

We don’t just look after the bricks and mortar; our on-site teams help to build communities too. You can get involved as much or as little as you like.  

This might just mean our Property or Development Manager will encourage you and your neighbours to participate in the decisions that need to be made about your home, like which colour we should paint the walls in the hallway.  

And where we have on-site teams, they might organise activities like fish & chip supper on a Friday or a garden party in the summer for you to enjoy being part of your community. 

We’re all Property Managers 

Our Property Managers may be the ones on the ground, but they are supported by specialist support teams, including Health and Safety, Accounting, Surveying, Human Resources and in-house legal expertise.  

Whether they’re taking your calls at head office or looking after our IT, everyone at FirstPort is a Property Manager – no matter what team they’re in, our priority is looking after your home. 

We’re committed to putting your safety first 

The health and safety of our customers is our number one priority. We’re the only property management businesses in the UK to receive a five-star rating from the British Safety Council in every audit since 2016. 

We’re always looking for ways to make things better for you so do get in touch.