Improving compliance and reducing costs for a 24-unit East London block

Brief

At takeover in September 2025, the resident directors were concerned about a major Section 20 lift project priced on only two quotations, additional project management fees proposed on top, outstanding fire safety actions, and outdated communal EICRs. Service charge pressure was rising and procurement flexibility under the previous agent was limited.

The situation before we took over

• •Section 20 lift works tendered to only two contractors, with no willingness to expand the process
• •Additional project management fees proposed on top of the lift works costs
• •Outstanding Fire Risk Assessment actions not closed out
• •Communal EICRs outdated and not satisfactory
• •Operational expenditure not reviewed in detail for several cycles

Actions taken

• •Reviewed the existing procurement strategy and reopened the lift works tender to additional contractors
• •Coordinated outstanding fire safety actions from the Fire Risk Assessment
• •Arranged updated communal EICRs and tracked remedial works to satisfactory completion
• •Reviewed operational expenditure line by line and renegotiated where appropriate
• •Improved contractor oversight and introduced clearer compliance tracking for the directors

Outcomes

• •Revised lift works proposal approximately 20% lower than the previous leading quotation
• •Additional project management fees previously proposed were avoided
• •Fire safety actions progressed to a satisfactory position
• •Satisfactory communal EICRs obtained
• •Operational management-related costs reduced by approximately 15%
• •Overall service charge reduced by approximately 5% for the following budget year

Before and after