For many Residents’ Management Company (RMC) directors, balancing the books is a constant. Rising construction costs, economic uncertainty and unexpected issues can put pressure on even the most carefully planned budgets. So how do you make smart, strategic decisions when funds are tight? How do you ensure legal compliance and resident satisfaction without overspending? In [...]

One of a Residents’ Management Companies (RMCs) most important responsibilities is ensuring that the building is adequately insured. This means knowing when to commission a building survey or reinstatement cost assessment (RCA). Inaccurate or outdated valuations can result in underinsurance, leaving leaseholders vulnerable to financial shortfalls in the event of a major incident. Conversely, overinsurance [...]

Darren Bagnall from Block in a Box looks at how you can avoid long-term costs of preventative maintenance on shared spaces. When managing a block of flats, it can be tempting to tackle problems as they arise. After all, why fix something that is not broken? But for Residents’ Management Company (RMC) directors, this reactive [...]

Darren Bagnall from Block in a Box outlines why it is so important to have a long-term maintenance plan and what should be included in yours. For directors of Residents’ Management Companies (RMCs), managing a block of flats means thinking beyond the day-to-day. While dealing with leaky taps and hallway lightbulbs is certainly part of [...]

Darren Bagnall from Block in a Box, explains where fire signs should be placed by law, and why regular checks are so important. Fire safety signs are a legal requirement in most residential buildings, but they can be overlooked. Unlike alarms and extinguishers, signs are more passive. They sit on walls or doors and are [...]

Darren Bagnall from Block in a Box, looks at how exposure to green space is essential for mental wellbeing, but many people living in flats and apartment blocks have little or no direct access to gardens or natural landscapes. From communal gardens to window boxes, the presence of greenery in a residential block can improve [...]