Most of the entries in this blog are derived from the approved Minutes of the SCRA AGM and meetings of the SCRA
Board. Please note that they are not verbatim copies of the Minutes as the information has been redacted for
reasons of security and privacy.
The AGM had taken place on 16 November, as scheduled. Observations and outcomes to be reported at this meeting.
The Directors Declaration has been signed by all who remain SCRA directors following the AGM.
PB Associates had replied to a query from the Board about the cost of administration if the buildings insurance was devolved back onto individual flat owners. They referred him to Section 20 in a web page on lease advice. Nevertheless, they advised that we should contact the Lease Advisory Service to confirm. There would be a charge for administration of the insurance, not including the cost of any follow up for non-payment by individual flat owners.
Correspondence
The high-level lantern that was hanging in the first archway had crashed to the ground in high winds, Details of a company that could provide replacement housings of similar design had been circulated to the Board.
A flat owner had corresponded about the possibility of installing non-slip strips on the stairs in the staircase down from their flat.
A flat owner had reported a possible blocked drain outside their first floor flat. One of the directors had checked, but there was no obvious sign of a blockage at ground level. The flat below had been unoccupied for some time, so any recent blockages must have originated higher up the waste pipe.
There had been considerable correspondence over various parking issues. See "Parking", below.
Following the experiment to install emergency lighting in one of the staircases, the acting chairman had written to CF Electrical, inviting them to quote for similar installations in the remaining staircases.
A flat owner had submitted plans for replacing two existing double-glazed windows in their flat. The acting chairman was concerned that the result would be an unsightly mixture of technologies, but the Secretary had assured him that this has been done before with no deleterious results, so it would not be setting an undesirable precedent.
Insurance
The Insurance director was still corresponding with the representatives of two insurance brokers. No quotes had yet been received as many insurers would not provide cover for blocks with recent claims histories like ours. So far, the message was that the insurance market had become much tighter because of rising costs and the number of claims over the last year. One broker had said that they were now looking further afield in an attempt to find insurers prepared to find cover.
In the light of the number of claims due to water leaks in the Court over the last few years and the problems this was causing for policy renewal, the insurers had asked what steps we were taking to mitigate further risk. The Insurance director had agreed that we would in future conduct plumbing checks in all flats to examine stopcocks, isolation valves, seals, connectors etc.
Gardens
With the onset of Winter, apart from lawn mowing and tidying up fallen leaves, activity in the gardens was reducing. The Gardens director reported that the roses (bushes and climbers) were being pruned. The Wisteria would also be pruned once all the leaves had been shed. With so much garden waste accumulated over the last few months, another, large, skip would be required. The Board agreed that one should be ordered.
Premises
A reported eak from the roof above one of the bathrooms had been investigated. It appeared to have been caused by rain getting into the wooden boxing around the point where the supply pipe turns down through the roof. A lead strip protecting the boxing had become dislodged. Shane Williams haw now fixed this. The resident thought the situation had improved as a result, but would continue to monitor the corresponding areas in the bathroom and kitchen
The Board agreed that specifications should be drafted of what we wanted done with respect to Front Doors/Fire doors and doors in the communal parts. This could then be used as the basis of an Invitation to Tender. The requirement was likely to include: project management, up-front costings, a schedule of works, a plan to raise the finance, proposed suppliers with references, method statements, and several aspects of insurance.
On the subject of emergency lighting, CF Electrical would be coming next week to examine the remaining staircases with a view to providing quotes. If major work was required, leading to the need for remedial redecoration, we would try to synchronise it with the scheduled refurbishments of the staircases (currently, 5-10 and 60-65 are due to be refurbished in 2024).
To minimise the damage to the interior decoration of the staircases, CF Electrical had proposed threading cables up through the cupboards on the floors above, where possible. Some of these would be private cupboards, but the Lease does allow SCRA to run services (like cables and pipework) through leaseholders’ property where necessary.
The acting chairman had been researching green “running man” signs (a requirement from the Fire Risk Assessment). He had found some that would stay luminous for a long period, but they looked very plain. He thought putting frames around them might improve them aesthetically. He had also looked at lamp housings. Two directors thought the default housings, installed so far by CF Electrical, were unattractive. They had identified some better ones and would circulate their details to the Board.
Jon Hallas, a RICS surveyor, had visited the Court to inspect issues with damp reported in three flats. He brought equipment with him that helped to distinguish damp caused by condensation from that due to water permeating the brickwork of the building. He found that damage to the building fabric was responsible for damp in the first flat. In the second flat it was definitely condensation. In the third, it was mainly condensation, but there was also some damaged brickwork outside. In the cases of condensation, he advised that the residents should improve the ventilation. The remedial actions needed for the brickwork would be spelled out in his report.
The acting chairman proposed circulating a Newsletter / Information Sheet to all residents giving them information about the current state of the Court and the work that SCRA was carrying out on their behalf. The Board agreed that this was a good idea.
When approached about the subject of re-pointing the whole building (as recommended in the 15-year plan), Mr Hallas had agreed in principle to manage the project if commissioned to do so.
Services
The acting chairman reported that an impromptu “fox barrier” – a wooden pallet fitted across the entrance to staircase 1-4 – appeared to have stopped the animals fouling the stairs and landings. However, the cessation of fouling recently could also have been due to the end of the breeding season and/or the onset of dark, very wet weather. Nevertheless, the Board agreed he could research and purchase two off-the-shelf, removable, barriers and, possibly, two ultrasonic deterrent devices in time for trialling them next year.
Health & Safety
The director for H&S reported his latest monthly inspections of all the staircases, SCRA cupboards, tank rooms (except for Tank Room “G”) and the roof. Issues included:
Two SCRA cupboards contained private possessions belonging to a number residents who had been granted permission to do so. It would make sense to re-locate some of the items to other cupboards to make more room, though there were limitations due to the size of some bulky items, e.g. prams, a trolley.
One resident had affixed netting and cling film to the wrought iron bannisters in the staircase outside. This was to prevent their children from falling through. Though this was unsightly and members of the Board had reservations, they agreed that these items could remain for the time being; they can be removed easily when required, did not constitute a hazard, and were probably better than more durable solutions, e.g. metal meshes or nets.
Parking
The director for Parking gave a short report on the circumstances which had prompted various people to make complaints about parking fines and PCN’s they had faced. They all claimed to have used Surbiton Court permits. Some vehicle drivers had displayied their permits in their front windscreens, but PESS’s cameras had failed to detect the permit because the vehicle was facing away from the Court.
Following last month’s discussion on the orientation of parked vehicles, the Board agreed that the rules should be changed to require all vehicles to face the archways with the permits displayed in the front windscreen. Extra signs would be attached to the noticeboards to make this clear and the wording on the existing “PESS” sign would also be altered. We would follow this up with a circular to all flats, agents and owners notifying them of the new rules.
Planning Application
The Board had been alerted on 23 November to an application by the developers of Surbiton Court Mews on the Kingston Council Planning web site. In it, they proposed that the Council’s requirement for a “Parking Management Plan” would be met if a one-way system was imposed on our roadways. As these roadways belong to SCRA, neither they nor the Council have any legal right to insist on such a system. Several residents of Surbiton Court and other blocks submitted their objections.
At SCRA’s invitation, Liz Green (one of the councillors) and the chief Planning Officer visited Surbiton Court and agreed that the developers proposals were infeasible. They appeared to concur that, if we agreed to the proposal and left the existing gate across the roadway open, it would become a danger to the pedestrians and cyclists who use it currently. It would also become a “rat-run” for vehicles wanting a quick route from St Andrews Square to the Portsmouth Road.
The acting chairman, on behalf of SCRA, took the matter to our solicitors for legal advice. They had prepared a letter on our behalf and sent it to the developers and CC’d to the Council.
The Council would be considering the application w/b 18 December 2023.
AGM
Following the resignation of two directors at the AGM, the Board agreed that we should be seeking actively for potential new directors.
MPR Ltd had carried out the scheduled repairs to the brickwork outside various flats.
Two inspectors appointed by William Martin visited on 19 October to carry out the inspection of front doors for Fire Risk. The outcome is discussed under "Premises", below.
The paperwork for the AGM had been distributed to all members of SCRA.
Correspondence
There had been considerable correspondence (and discussions in person) between residents, flat owners and letting agents, and some of the directors about the arrangements for the front doors inspection, prior to 19 October.
The director for Parking had continued to field queries and objections from residents about parking fines (mainly on behalf of their visitors and contractors). The number of objections, however, appeared to be decreasing.
A flat owner had written to say that the water pressure problem experienced in their flat was now resolved. It was due to an in-line water softener that had become clogged.
Another flat owner had submitted to the Board plans and specifications for new windows in his flat. Two directors had provided feedback and advised that some of the specifications were not in accord with what had been there before and with surrounding windows. The flat owner undertook to correct the errors before the windows were installed.
Leighton Ironcraft Ltd had finally completed work on the side gate and elsewhere on 18 October. Subsequently, Leighton were invited to quote for adjustments to the iron gates near Flat 5, so that they close properly and with less noise. They responded with a quote to re-hang one of the gates.
A resident wrote to notify the Board that he was moving house imminently and requested exemption from the parking regulations for the removals van. Although he was provided him with all the relevant information, his removals company appeared to have disregarded the information about the dimensions of the archways. Their van, which was over-sized, was parked in the forecourt and incurred a fine. [The Board agreed that no interventions were required; it was up to the removal company to pay the fine.]
It was reported that one of the residents had slipped and fallen on the stairs in the w/b 2 October, during a period when very cold weather was followed by a day of warm, moisture-laden air. They asked whether the stairs could be treated with anti-slip paint. The directors agreed, as a matter of priority, to find an effective solution to the problem.
The resident of a top floor flat reported a stain on the ceiling of his living room. Two diectors investigated by looking around the Tank Room above with Shane Williams. There were no obvious sources for a leak. A possible cause might be stormy weather forcing rainwater into an airbrick on the outside of the tank room wall directly above the location of the water stain. This might be cured by installing a cowl over the airbrick.
The living room window one flat had been reported as having worked loose in its frame. On inspection, the wooden frame appeared to be sound, but the frame of the metal window itself was loose, possibly due to corroded screws. The metal frame of the window was the responsibility of the flat-owner, but if the wooden frame was found to have rotted, SCRA would address the problem.
A resident reported a "loud high pitched sound" had been coming from the direction of Tangerby House for the last 2 days. It transpired that the noise emanated from the nearby Power Networks electricity sub-station. Power Networks subsequently sent an engineer.
Finance & Insurance
In view of the likely financial consequences following from the recent Fire Risk Assessment and related concerns about front doors and cupboard doors, the Board agreed that the 15-year Plan should be put on hold until all these more pressing issues had been addressed.
A circular had been drafted to be sent to landlords of Surbiton Court flats requesting information. This was a consequence of insurers now demanding more details about tenancies, empty property, etc before they will agree to providing insurance for blocks of flats.
Gardens
The Gardens director reported that 100 Geranium plants had just been transferred to the greenhouse for the Winter. There had been considerable activity pruning and generally tidying up for the Winter. Another skip would be required for the waste. A load of compost had been ordered. There had been concern about the low quality of last year’s compost; this year’s supply was expected to be much better.
The acting chairman had carried out more work removing broad-leafed weeds and improving the central lawn.
The Board’s attention had been drawn to the fact that a resident had invited their friends (residents of flats in St Andrews Square) to use our gardens whenever they wished. This was against the rules and the resident would be told. The issue had already been raised in this summer’s Newsletter. The rule about unaccompanied visitors (and the reason for it) would be included on the Gardens page of the Handbook.
Premises
There was a long discussion of the outcomes from the Fire Risk Assessment and the two visits from William Martin’s contractors who came to inspect the front doors for fire risk. While the FRA report had included many recommendations some of which we were now progressing, like push-bars on the back doors, installing emergency lighting, tightening up our regular H&S checks, etc, there was still uncertainty on how best to proceed regarding cupboard doors opening onto the communal areas, both those owned by SCRA and those belonging to individual flats.
The front doors inspection report had been less helpful. All the doors failed the inspection. The report made it relatively clear what was expected of a compliant fire door, e.g. 30-minute fire resistance, 44mm thick, automatic closer, intumescent strips, smoke seals, 3 hinges (certified), safety glass, etc. It was also obvious that none of the doors in Surbiton Court are compliant as they stand. A long, but valuable, consultation between two SCRA directors and the inspectors on their second visit revealed, among other things, that there was a possibility that some of our front doors could be modified sufficiently to satisfy an inspector, but that would have to be tested. The rest (including cupboard doors) would have to be replaced or other remediations would have to be found.
Health & Safety
The director for H&S reported on his latest inspection of all the staircases, SCRA cupboards, tank rooms and the roof. A number of issues has been identified and would be addressed.
Services
The Services director said that several residents had complained that foxes continued to foul the hallways and staircases. The cleaners had also reported it. If the Board agreed, he would send a note on SCRA notepaper to selected residents, discreetly, asking them to refrain from feeding the animals.
Parking
The director for Parking reported that a number of vehicle drivers were displaying their permits in their front windscreens, but that PESS’s cameras had failed to detect the permit because the vehicle was facing away from the Court. He proposed that we should add an extra rule, specifying that vehicles must face the archways. The Board agreed.
Directors Declaration
The final version of the Directors Declaration had been circulated to all the directors for individual agreement and signature. As mentioned at last month’s Board meeting, the statements in the Declaration are now required by our auditors to comply with financial regulations and a pre-requisite to be accepted for insurance, both buildings and directors liability. The AGM would be an appropriate time for new, reappointed, and all existing directors to sign the Declaration.
The loss adjuster had visited the flats that had sustained damage due to the leak in the water supply pipe in one of them. The insurers have approved the payments we shall have to make to have the flats redecorated. They have also agreed to cover the expenditure on the work to trace the leak. Quotes to carry out the redecoration work had been received from two contractors.
The acting chairman had circulated a full version of a proposed Directors Declaration. The Declaration was to be discussed at this meeting.
The annual gate closure had taken place on 23/24 September.
Correspondence
A representative of Orbital Fasteners, had emailed the Board informing us that they would be making a number of deliveries and asking how to proceed. We realised that she had confused Surbiton Court with SC Mews and wrote back that she should contact the developers.
A resident had written to complain that a car belonging to one of the contractors working at SC Mews was habitually blocking the entrance to Surbiton Court. The director for Parking had replied that the driver would be fined, but otherwise there was little else we could do.
A flat owner had emailed to ask if they could bury their pet animal in the garden outside their flat. After discussion of the matter, the Board refused the request. It was suggested that if the pet was cremated, the ashes could be scattered over the garden.
A note informing all residents that the inspection of Front Doors on 19 October was delivered on paper to all residents on 20 September. Off-site flat owners and letting agents were sent the same information by email two days later. Since then replies have been coming in, acknowledging receipt and indicating who will provide access to their flats. Some respondents have stated a preference for a morning or an afternoon inspection.
The acting chairman had continued to correspond with the bricklayer we had commissioned, who was still experiencing health problems. After the bricklayer had missed a number of appointments to come to carry out the work, a new contractor, MPR Ltd, had been contacted; they have done some work for Surbiton Court 2.
A resident had written to ask what were the plans for EV charging at Surbiton Court. The Garages director had replied, citing the findings of the investigation into this topic we carried out in 2021. Because of the high cost and, consequently, low interest from residents, we had not pursued the matter.
One of the letting agents wrote to say that the current tenants did not have a Surbiton Court parking permit and had asked how they could acquire one. They were informed that a replacement permit would cost £50. The agents subsequently made the payment on behalf of the flat owner and said that they would add the permit to the inventory of contents for the flat in question to ensure it was retrieved at the end of each tenancy
Leighton Ironcraft emailed to say they would be coming to to do the necessary ironwork repairs on 30 September. This was subsequently delayed to a date in early October.
Finance
The acting chairman observed that one or two landlords were asking SCRA to invoice them for maintenance charges. In view of the extra work involved, he asked whether SCRA should be levying an administration charge.
Gardens
The Gardens director reported the greenhouse was being prepared for the coming winter. 60 Geraniums had been identified as ready for transfer to pots for overwintering. Some 30 plants had not survived and so there were pots left over.
The acting chairman had carried out more work removing broad-leafed weeds and improving the central lawn.
The Gardens director was asked what would be the best time of year to prune the various bushes around the Court. She replied that it could be any time in principle, but it also depended on the species of plant.
Premises
The acting chairman had approached MPR Ltd, a firm used by Surbiton Court 2, about carrying out repairs to some of the brickwork in Surbiton Court. Their representative) had visited on 27 September. MPR Ltd and was now due to start work on 16 October.
The letting agent for one of the flats had written requesting permission to install a ventilator through the wall of the bathroom. This had been granted and the vent was installed.
The acting chairman had observed that the flue outside a ground floor flat was exposed and not covered by a protective mesh, unlike the flues in neighbouring flats. He had written to th owner requesting that such a mesh cover should be installed to protect anyone passing near the wall when the boiler was in operation.
Health & Safety
Arrangements for the inspection of Front Doors for fire risk on 19 October were now in hand. Circulars on paper had been delivered to all flats. Off-site flat owners and letting agents had been emailed with the same information. Three dirctors were now collecting and collating responses.
In response to the requirement in the Fire Risk Assessment, CF Electrical would be starting work in the next few days installing emergency lighting in a trial stairwell. The results would then be evaluated before work was quoted for and continued on the other stairwells.
The director for H&S sent a short report: I completed an inspection of the stairwells and courtyard and I can report that there are no apparent major health and safety issues. One flat has some building materials outside their front door (planks and wood). I will request that they are moved.
Services
The Services director reported that the standard of bin-emptying by the Council contractors had been somewhat better in the last few weeks, though they were still not fully emptying the bins at the back of the second bin store. He observed that the bin areas had recently acquired more clutter: a bucket of sand in one and a bag of plaster in the other. The bin men were likely to use this as an excuse and claim they had not been able to access the bins because of the obstructions.
The acting chairman described an incident in which he had remonstrated with a motorbike rider delivering to Surbiton Court 2 recently, entering our grounds from St Andrews Square. The rider had been going very fast and endangering pedestrians. On being challenged, his behaviour was highly abusive. The Board discussed the possibility of acquiring and installing rubber speed bumps; any bumps less than 100mm in height would be legal.
The Services director had responded to an approach by Community Fibre, an independent supplier of broadband services. On closer inspection, it was clear that they wanted to install their own cabling around the building. After consultation with the directors, he wrote back to say this would not be acceptable on the grounds of the disruption involved and possible damage to the fabric of the buildings. We already have three separate cable systems Virgin Media, BT and the FreeView TV system. All of them involve active involvement by a SCRA director liaising with various companies, especially when site visits from engineers are required.
Parking
The director for Parking had sent a report. Two of the items mentioned in it involved parking tickets. The third was about EV charging (see "Correspondence", above).
AOB
The acting chairman circulated a final draft Directors Declaration for consideration by the board members as unanimously agreed at the last meeting. It encompasses regulations, procedures and Due Process which our auditors require directors to follow in the light of new legislation covering Finance, Health & Safety, Landlords, and the conduct of small businesses. It also covers Statement of Fact declarations to our insurers which are stipulated in law, both for Directors Liability and for Buildings insurance. Given that we expect to have to appoint new directors at the AGM it seemed an appropriate time to introduce such a document and for them and for all existing directors to sign as well.
Following William Martin's agreement to re-inspect all the front doors, the Premises director had arranged for the new inspection to take place on 19 October 2023. He also said said he would consult William Martin about the measures to be taken with his private cupboard and SCRA cupboard nearby.
CSJ Metalwork had said they would visit on 14 August to look at two pieces of ironwork in the Court that need attention. After they cancelled twice and then no longer communicated, it was decided to invite Leighton Ironcraft who had also provided a quotation, though more expensive. After some delays, Leighton's visit took place on 8 September.
Re- the lorry that had damaged a brick pillar in our forecourt, the developers of Surbiton Courtt Mews had contacted a company called Reston waste, who appear to have been responsible for the lorry. Reston waste had requested information about accessing the site. The Services director had replied, saying that the site was open access and to contact him if they needed further information.
The acting chairman had now circulated text for new signage at the front gate to the Court. The Board had approved it and for the expenditure on new signs, which have now been delivered.
PESS had arranged for the new parking signs to be produced. These had now been delivered and put up in place of the old signs.
Correspondence
The acting chairman had received a quote and accompanying specifications for the installation of emergency lighting in staircase 66 - 69. He has circulated these to the Board for comment.
The acting Chairman had exchanged several emails over the month with a number of flat owners and tenants about an ongoing leak that was affecting their flats and incurring water damage. He had also submitted a claim to our insurers to meet the costs of tracing the leak, repairing it, and making good the damage in the flats affected. The insurers (Covea) had written to say that a loss adjuster would visit Surbiton Court on 22 September.
There had been correspondence between the Board and a number of residents and contractors about parking fines, some levied by PESS (£60, rising to £100), others by PESS's Debt Recovery Company (£170). Some recipients of the fines thought they had been treated unfairly. In some cases, it could be proved that they had not complied with the parking restrictions, in other cases CCTV showed that they were in the right. The director for Parking had now dealt with most of the complaints, liaising with PESS where necessary.
The Services director had written to PB Associates observing that company law requires all official company communications to be sent to members by post. For electronic communications (email, portals, etc), members must first give their written permission. PB Associates advised that this was indeed the case, but thought that this applied mainly to items like AGM notices and not service charge matters. They suggested that we should include a statement in the Declaration by new leaseholders inviting them to agree to receiving communications electronically.
One of the residents had written to the Board to ask if anyone was co-ordinating a campaign to write to the national Planning Inspectorate complaining about a proposed planning application to build another storey on top of Tangerby House. Kingston Council had rejected the application and therefore the developers were appealing. The Services director noted that the permission had already been granted by Kingston Council in a subsequent application by the developers. He wrote to the Council to question the point of writing to the Planning Inspectorate about an out-of-date appeal. The reply was completely unhelpful.
A flat owner had emailed to say that they had lost their Surbiton Court parking permit and enquired about the process to get a replacement. The directors had replied, providing the necessary information.
A flat owner had commissioned work to replace the boiler without first consulting the Board. The installer had also left the old boiler and discarded packaging in the hallway outside for several days. The acting chairman responded with an email pointing out that that plans to replace a boiler need to be checked by the Board to ensure that other flats (and the appearance of the building) are not adversely affected.
Finance
The Board approved a donation of £50.00 in memory of a long-time resident of the Court who passed away recently. She had nominated two charities, Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals and the Teachers of Anatomy Trust to receive donations.
Gardens
The Gardens director reported that the gardens continued to be under “Summer Maintenance” and the plants were thriving due to the warm weather and frequent periods of rain.
The Gardens director had observed that some residents had decided to prune the Wisteria. She asked that the pruning should be left to the gardeners, under the directors' instructions. The Handbook page
Gardens_&_Barbecues had been updated to reflect this.
Premises
The Premises director had commissioned Aspect Maintenance Services had investigated a persistent slow, leak affecting a number of flats in the Court. They tracked the source down the failure in a lead pipe in one of the flats. This is a water supply pipe and the leak emanated from a repair that must have been made earlier than the 1970s (as far back as our records go). The repair must have failed this year.
Two of our regular contractors had been invited to submit quotes for redecoration in connection with the damage caused by the leak.
CF Electrical had visited to discuss the installation of emergency lighting. After looking at two particular staircases, he suggested a novel solution in which the existing 3-core wiring would be replaced by 4-core. This would enable the normal lights to remain under the control of the photocell switches, while auxiliary emergency lights retained a 24-hour mains supply. Should the mains fail, battery backup would cut in. This solution would mean that the “running man” notices required by law could be flat signs without the need for back-lighting, as envisaged until now.
Health & Safety
The acting chairman had included this as an Agenda item in the light of the current activity to address the Fire Risk Assessment. While our documentation and procedures for H&S and Fire Risk published in 2018 had been sufficient at the time, they needed updating and stricter adherence. In particular, attention was drawn to the requirements for:
a nominated person, although the Board as a whole also bears responsibility
carrying out regular inspections (communal areas, cupboards, store rooms, etc)
keeping logs of findings, actions and outcomes as a result of the inspections
training of one or more directors
Services
The council operatives were continuing to leave 1 or 2 bins unemptied. The best way to prevent the smell of rotting refuse building up was to move the unemptied bins closer to the door of the bin compound. In the past month, the Services director had elicited help from the cleaners to do this.
Parking
The number of problems associated with the new parking regime was beginning to reduce. The director for Parking gave a summary of the current status:
The staff at PESS now appeared to be more familiar with the correct process and times allowed when cars were parked in the bays and forecourts.
He had advised some new residents that their removals van had up to 40 minutes to unload and that a permit loading/unloading would not be required if the delivery was completed under that time period.
The developers of Surbiton Court Mews had emailed to report that the lorries delivering materials to site had clocked up around £2,000 worth of fines. He asked whether SCRA could do anything to mitigate this. The Services director circulated a copy of the email at the meeting and asked the members of the Board to send him their comments which he would incorporate into a reply.
AGM
Arrangements for the AGM on Thursday 16 November are now in place. The Services director said he would draft a covering letter to accompany the paperwork sent out to all the members of SCRA.
A meeting to discuss the 15 year plan spreadsheet had taken place on 2 August.
A note had been added to the Handbook page about Gardens saying that residents should consult the Gardens Director before engaging in gardening activity themselves.
The subject of fire-proof barriers around electrical equipment in cupboards letting onto the communal areas had been discussed. See Premises, below .
The acting chairman had been in contact with a number of companies carrying out ironwork and was now in discussion with one that had submitted a reasonable quote.
The new parking arrangements with PESS have now been operating for a while. It appears that several fines have been issued and paid. It was clear that staff at PESS needed to become more familiar with the rules we have agreed with the company. It was hoped that the situation would improve once we have the new signage in place.
Correspondence
The acting chairman had invited quotes from several ironwork specialists about repairs to the side gate and in one of the staircases. The best quote received was from CSJ Steel Fabrication.
The director for Parking had liaised with PESS, car owners and various tradesmen several times regarding enquiries about parking, exemptions and appeals against parking fines.
The acting Chairman had received a series of quotes from for remedial brickwork around various flats in the Court. (see "Matters Arising", above). Work would begin on 23 August.
Two of the residents had reported what looked like an attempt to steal lead from the garage roofs. After causing some damage, the would-be thieves must have realised rather quickly, that the "lead" they were trying to steal was, in fact, plastic.
CF Electrical had submitted a quote for installing emergency lighting in staircase 66-69.
The directors had written to the developers, Rosguill, about an incident in which one of the Mews construction vehicles had damaged some of our brickwork. They wrote back to say that they would deal with it.
The Services director had corresponded with OpenRent, the advertiser of a letting in SC3, objecting to a misleading statement on their web site which suggested that SC3 residents had free access to our gardens. Eventually, the landlord of the let flat got in touch and apologised.
Finance
The Services director summarised the ongoing discussions about the 15-year plan, held on 2 August. One conclusion was that there is likely to be a shortfall of expenditure over income by the end of 2023. This would be addressed by increasing the maintenance charge. In addition, we need to think about raising the funds needed for the repointing of the building. The recent surveyor’s report which was the basis of the Plan suggested carrying out the work in 3 phases over successive years. The funds would have to be in place before work on each phase began.
The Services director also pointed out that, sooner, rather than later, flat owners would have to be made aware that they would be responsible for paying for fire risk remediation of their front doors and likewise any measures required to secure private cupboards that open onto the communal areas.
Gardens
The Summer Party had been enjoyed by those who attended (over 18 people came). It was appreciated even more by the provision of free specialist gin kindly donated by the Premises director.
The Gardens director reported that the gardens were in “Summer maintenance” mode.the wisteria on the open balconies had been cut back. The mixed weather of occasional warm sunny days and many rainy ones had provided many of the plants with ideal growing conditions.
The acting Chairman had spent considerable effort on the grass and tidying up the small terraces at either end of the central lawn. He had dug out the soil that had accumulated between the low wall and the paving stones, replacing them with gravel that had been removed from the French drains and cleaned of soil.
There had been a number of cases of dog and cat excrement left on front door mats. The acting Chairman suggested that this should be raised as a subject for discussion at the AGM.
Premises
The Premises director made an observation about a flat in which the tenants had reported numerous problems with “damp” in the past. Since it was vacated by the last tenant about a month ago, the flat had dried out completely. The weather had not been unusually dry and there appeared to be no “damp” problem that could be attributed to structural problems with the building. This implied the cause was actually condensation due to the occupants never opening the windows.
CF Electrical had provided a quote for the installation of emergency lighting in staircase 66-69. The Board gave its approval for the expenditure. Further quotes would be invited for staircase 1-4.
William Martin Ltd had agreed to re-inspect all the front doors. The Premises director said he would repeat the exercise to notify residents and schedule dates and times. This time, he and the acting Chaiman would accompany the inspector in visiting every flat.
The Premises director listed some of the most likely requirements for remediation: installation of intumescent strips, door closers, replacement of hinges with approved standard hinges, fire resistant glass. Doors with cat flaps would have to be replaced completely by certified Fire doors.
The director for Health & Safety said he wanted reassurance that all flat owners would comply with the requirements by allowing the remedial work to go ahead and by agreeing to pay for it. Non-compliance would be unfair to other flat owners. The Board would be obliged to take legal action, if necessary.
The acting chairman had proposed text for new signage at the front gate to the Court. He would circulate it to the Board.
The Garages director observed that the pedestrian access through our front gate had been blocked off for a considerable period by boarding erected by the Mews development. This was due to a hole in the tarmac behind the boarding, exposing part of the water supply to the Mews. They were still waiting for Thames Water to come and sort out problems with the supply.
Services
The Services director reported that the waste disposal operatives (“bin men”) had not been emptying all the bins. In particular the two bins furthest from the door in the bin area closest to SC3 were left full from week to week. It was only by moving those bins to the front, that he’d been able to ensure they were emptied. Although there was a Council web page to report non-emptying of bins, only an all-or-none option was available. The alternative was to telephone and wait a long time for the call to be answered.
Parking
The new camera-enabled parking controls had been in effect since 11 June. The technology was obviously working, though PESS had been somewhat over-enthusiastic in ticketing people before the rules had been completely agreed with SCRA. The director for Parking had spent considerable time and effort interceding where necessary and, where there had clearly been a breach, explaining to those who had complained.
New wording for the parking signs had now been agreed and PESS had offered to have them produced for us at a substantially reduced cost compared with other sign writers.
The Premises director expressed his concern that the residents of a few flats were either leaving their cars for far too long in the Inner Court which was currently not monitored, or using their parking permit and leaving their vehicle in one of the bays all day. The director for Parking asked that he be supplied with their contact details and he would write to them.
AGM
It was agreed that this would take place on Thursday 16 November, subject to the availability of the venue. The Secretary agreed to contact Glenmore House.
The Insurance director reported that the insurers had now settled the claim for repairs to two flats as a result flooding
due to leak(s) from a flat on the floor above.
The bricklayer contracted to carry out repairs to damaged walls outside 4 of the flats in the Court ahd failed to appear to
carry out the work. Two of the directors had each contacted another bricklayer and were in the process
of inviting them to visit the Court and provide quotes for the repair work.
CF Electrical had been invited to provide advice on Emergency Lighting. Chris Foster had visited on 29 June and discussed the
options with three of the directors.
Paper copies of the Newsletter had been circulated on 15 June, together with a page explaining the new Parking regime and regulations.
New keylock code. The settings had now been changed on the hallway doors and the garden gates to the new number.
Correspondence
The acting chairman had corresponded with various Council members over the state of St Andrews Square (again). There had
now been a meeting between them, another resident of St Andrews Square) and himself at which some action had been promised.
He thought success – or otherwise – would depend on the two Council contractors. Those responsible for the central gardens
in St Andrews Square appeared to be responsive. Veolia, responsible for waste and recycling, less so.
The Services director reported that payment had been made for this year’s web hosting and web site SSL.
The Services director also reported that there had been a large amount of correspondence with EDF over the quarter’s electricity bills.
Harry Procter, plasterer, had submitted a quote for work on Staircase 1-4. Following an exchange of emails, the Board had approved the quote..
The Premises director had received updated versions of the Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Door Inspection reports from William Martin.
He had forwarded copies to the Services director.
After considerable discussion between Board members, the SCRA Newsletter was printed and delivered to all flats together with a
leaflet explaining the new Parking Rules that would come into force on 15 June 2023.
The tenant of a ground floor flat emailed to report that the unblocking of a kitchen sink in a flat above, had resulted in a flood of
dirty water into the kitchen of his flat. This was followed by an email from the owner of the flat who was concerned that sink unblocker,
used by the owner of the flat to unblock the sink, might have affected his floor tiles. The Services director had undertaken to investigate.
There had been a number of complaints that residents had been fined by PESS for not displaying a parking permit. The director for Parking
had looked into each. Where the photographic evidence (showing times of arrival and departure of the vehicles in question) did not justify
the fine and he had asked PESS to rescind it. There had also been a few cases where the evidence clearly contradicted what had been claimed;
the fines for these had had to stand.
It had come to the attention of the Board that new tenants had recently moved into two flats. Very often, the first the Board know about new tenants
is when there is an emergency (like a serious water leak, or someone falls ill) or the tenants decide to complain about some aspect of how the
Court is run (like the parking rules, permits or fines). It would make the running of the Court much easier for everyone if landlords would inform
the Board of each change of tenancy and provide relevant dates and contact details of keyholders, letting agents and the tenants themselves.
Finance
The Services director reported that 9 out of 12 of the current quarter’s electricity bills had been received from EDF. The amounts were
considerably lower than for the previous quarter, reflecting the late reading of the meters in the last quarter.
In a short review of the finances, the directors had estimated that expenditure was likely to exceed income by a large margin this year.
Inflation and a significant increase in the the buildings insurance premiums were contributory factors.
The need to establish a fund to meet large expenditures (like systematic re-pointing of the whole building) was also becoming urgent.
It was proposed that directors should meet to consider the “15-year Plan”, commissioned in 2021, work out a budget and debate what
increase in the maintenance charge will be required. Conclusions were needed before the date of the next AGM could be fixed. It
was agreed that the initial 15YP meeting should be on Weds 2 August.
Gardens
The Gardens Director had been asked whether the gardeners could move the soil in various parts of the garden further away from the French drains,
so that it would not be washed back in by the next rainstorm. In many cases, however, the result would be to move the problem to another part
of the garden. She had suggested another solution: to raise the height of the barrier at the French drain itself by installing a corrugated metal
strip. The Board approved the modest expenditure this would entail.
There had been considerable growth in the garden recently due to favourable weather conditions and the gardeners had been busy mowing lawns
and cutting back the shrubs. A skip had been ordered for the removal of the considerable amount of garden waste that had been generated.
It would arrive on 14 July.
7 new rose bushes had been planted.
A number of residents had recently resorted to cutting back some of the growth around their flats, not always very well and without clearing up
afterwards. It was suggested that a note should be added to the “Gardens” page of the Handbook and any future Newsletter: “please consult
the Gardens Director before you do any planting, weeding, pruning, etc. or installing extra plant pots.”
Premises
The Premises director had been in touch with William Martin Ltd regarding the unsatisfactory nature of the Front Doors Inspection
and report (on fire risk). WM Ltd had agreed to repeat the inspection, at their expense, using a different inspector. It meant, however,
that the exercise to schedule acceptable dates and times for all the residents would have to be repeated.
Regarding the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA), the assessor had clarified the requirement that electrical fuse- and junction- boxes in
cupboards should be “boxed in”. He said that the electrical equipment should be isolated by a fire-resistant barrier from any flammable
material stored in the same cupboard. The barrier could be a close-fitting shelf extending the width of the cupboard. Non-inflammable
items (e.g. wine bottles, metal tools, bicycles) could still be stored alongside the electrical equipment, but flammable material must
be on the other side of the barrier..
Planning had begun on the installation of emergency lighting. The acting chairman had invited CF Electrical to visit (see “Matters
arising”). The Premises director had liaised with Mr Shane Williams on contacting a second electrician. Both would be invited to come
up with proposals and quote for the work. It was likely that separate circuits would have to be installed, independent of the existing
lighting circuits (which switch off automatically in daylight).
Following up on the FRA, the internal combination locks on the back doors of hallways 21-26 and 42-47had been replaced with push-bars
(left door) and simple handles (right door). Once activated, the push-bars were difficult for inexperienced people to reinstate; signs
were needed asking residents to use the push-bars only in emergencies. The Services director had attached temporary signs for the time being.
The acting chairman proposed that a spreadsheet should now be maintained tabulating all the cupboards in the Court that let onto
the communal areas. This should record what, if anything, needs to be done with each cupboard and track progress on any remediation.
The Premises director reported that he had asked Shane Williams to fit metal mesh over the large gaps in the structures supporting
the back gates. This would prevent small children from squeezing through either from, or onto, the driveways at Tangerby House and
Surbiton Court 2 (and possibly getting trapped in the process). He also thought that gaps in the hedge should be filled in with
fast-growing bushy plants for much the same purpose.
The acting chairman had identified a firm specialising in wrought iron to replace the missing piece in the large side-gate and
carry out other repairs to ironwork in the Court. The Gardens director thought that the gates would need re-hanging to reduce the noise when
people try to close them
The acting chairman proposed that there should be new signage at the front entrance to the Court and on the archways. For the
front entrance, the words “PRIVATE FLATS / NO PUBLIC ACCESS” and on the archways: “PRIVATE GARDENS / FOR THE SOLE USE OF RESIDENTS OF
SURBITON COURT FLATS 1 – 69 / KT6 4EB & KT6 4ED”. Board members considered “PRIVATE PROPERTY” would be better than “PRIVATE FLATS”,
but otherwise thought the wording an improvement. Whether the residents of neighbouring flats would respect the signs about the
Gardens was debateable, but worth trying.
Parking
The director for Parking confirmed that PESS had installed three cameras, as described at last month’s meeting, and they were now in
operation. A number of vehicle owners had received tickets (PCNs). Some had appealed and, if the photographic evidence provided by
PESS had not been good enough, he had interceded. In these cases, PESS acknowledged there had been teething problems
and had withdrawn the tickets.
Car owners were being allowed 15 minutes to park and obtain the parking permit from the resident they were visiting. Another
15 minutes (max) were allowed to return the permit before they drove off. A visitor to one resident had claimed he had left his
vehicle parked for under 15 minutes without a permit. When the resident appealed, the directors had checked the CCTV recordings; these
showed the vehicle had been parked for 50 minutes, so the resident agreed to pay the charges.
Some changes were required to the signage proposed so far. The director for Parking said he would circulate proposals for
revising the wording until it was agreed. He would then arrange for the signs to be produced by a company he had recently evaluated..
AOB
A flat owner had asked for the Board’s permission to have the waste pipe from her kitchen sink re-routed. Shane Williams had
inspected and pointed out that the pipe had already been moved from its original position and, in fact, the application was
just to move it back to its original position. The hole in the wall already existed and the communal waste pipe was adjacent
on the outside wall. She agreed to submit a written application, accompanied by a photograph or diagram, for the Board’s approval.
The acting chairman was sad to announce that one of Surbiton Court’s oldest residents had passed away after a few weeks in hospital.
The Board expressed their condolences to the family and agreed to organise a donation on behalf of SCRA when more was known.
Calibre’s quote for Legionella testing had been accepted and the tests completed. The results showed that all the water supplies
were clear of Legionella.
CF Electrical had now carried out the remedial works identified in the EICR report. They had also carried out certification of the
appliances used by SCRA. Apart from the appliances that were no longer working, all had passed the certification process.
The Premises director had taken up the issues with William Martin about the Fire Risk Assessment and Front Doors Inspections.
They had now revised their reports. The directors would now go through the reports in detail.
The parking control company, PESS’s, engineers had just installed the hardwarne for the new parking control system. Software
commissioning would take place in a few days. On completion of the commissioning, PESS to control the cameras remotely and
monitor traffic movements around the Court.
The keylock code on garden gates would be changed in the next month. The date and the new code would be published in the Newsletter.
Correspondence
The acting chairman had corresponded with Calibre Ltd had corresponded with Calibre and arranged for Legionella testing of the roof
tanks. This had taken place on 18 May.
The Services director reported that payment had been made for this year’s web hosting and web site SSL.
The Services director also reported that there had been a large amount of correspondence with EDF over the quarter’s electricity bills.
A flat owner had written to report that the water pressure to the boiler in his flat was so low that boiler was cutting out. The Services director
recommended that he should check whether the boiler was supplied by the rising main, or by the tanks on the roof. SCRA might be able to adjust
the pressure in the latter case. Otherwise, the flat owner should call Thames Water.
The Premises director had copied the Board on a news link reporting the disastrous effect of trying to charge an electric scooter in a Flat.
A possible update for our Fire Regulations? [The update should also point out that charging vehicles by means of a cable running from an
adjacent flat is not allowed.]
The replacement of the asbestos roofs on the garages was now complete, signed off and paid for.
Another flat owner had written to report an issue with damp in their flat. The acting chairman had replied. The Premises director had
contacted the flat owner to arrange a time when he could inspect.
Following the rules of Surbiton Court (as set out in the Handbook), a flat
owner had applied for permission to install replacement windows at Flat 61. The Board had
approved the plans submitted by his contractor.
Gardens
The Gardens Director reported that all the recent tidying, pruning, etc had generated a considerable amount of garden waste. With the warmer
weather, rapid growth of the grass meant more frequent mowing. This meant that another skip would soon be required.
The daffodil bulbs had been taken out of the flower beds, which were now being prepared for the Summer.
There had been no rain in the last week or so and the dry spell was forecast to continue; further mowing had therefore been suspended.
The acting chairman thought it might soon be necessary to start watering the gardens to prevent die-back. This would preserve the recent,
noticeable, improvement in the look of the gardens.
The Premises director reported that residents of Surbiton Court 3 (SC3) had been sunbathing in our gardens. He suggested we should write to
Wallakers, the managing agents, to complain. There had been an increase in the number of trespassers recently. Some had been quite abusive
when asked to leave.
A flat to let in SC3 had been advertised as “having access to large communal gardens”. He recommended writing to the letting agents, asking
them to remove that wording from their advertisement.
Premises
William Martin Ltd had now revised the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) and the Front Doors Inspection (FDI) reports in response to comments
from SCRA. The new versions had been sent to Mr Carter, but were yet to be circulated to the whole Board. The Premises director suggested that
he and the Services director should now go through the reports to identify what needed to be done to achieve compliance.
William Martin also inspected our existing Fire Risk documentation. The Premises director reported that in their opinion, our procedures in Case of
Fire were unnecessary for a building such as ours.
On the front doors, The Premises director advised that all doors with cat flaps would have to be replaced completely. The remainder could be
modified to meet the requirements.
Services
The director for Parking had sent the Board an email summarising what PESS, the parking control company, would be doing on 08 June.
They would fit three cameras and the associated cabling to overlook the parking bay areas and side path on the right of the building.
We needed to finalise the wording for new parking signage and agree it with PESS before commissioning the signs.
Once all was in place, the director for Parking suggested that we run a pilot for three months to evaluate its effectiveness and
adjust the parking rules in the light of any ambiguities or anomalies.
The Services director reported that, after a delay of about a month, our electricity bills for the first quarter were now fully
paid up. The delay had been due to a problem with EDF’s smart meters: when they attempted to update the software in most of the meters,
they had lost radio contact. They had us to take manual readings and send them in.
AOB
A draft of the proposed Newsletter had been circulated to the Board. The members appeared happy with the content. A few extra items
were proposed for inclusion:
A note about shoes and other obstacles left by front doors and in the stairwells. These constitute a hazard to residents
and their neighbours, which could be serious in the case of a fire.
A record of the new code to be used on the keylocks and the date on which it will come into force.
Mention that electric vehicle charging using cables running out of flat windows is unsafe and will, in any case, be prohibited..
The Fire Risk Assessment and Front Door Inspections Reports had been received and circulated to the Board for comment.
The cause of damp in one flat had been suspected to be a leak in a cold water down pipe in an adjacent flat. The pipe had now been
inspected and eliminated as a cause of the leak.
Two of the directors had now met with PESS about revised parking controls.
The residents' Coronation party had taken place on Sunday 07 May. Around 35 residents had attended..
Correspondence
The acting chairman had corresponded with Calibre Ltd and William Martin Ltd about the possibility (and cost) of testing the water
in the tanks on the roof for Legionella.
The acting chairman had written, yet again, to Kingston Council on the state of St Andrews Square. He reminded them that they had
promised some action – which had yet to happen.
The Garages Director had circulated the garage owners with a note to inform them that the work to replace the garage asbestos
roofs had been delayed until mid-May.
A flat owner wrote to inform the Board of a bulky waste collection he had arranged with the Council. He provided the date of the collection.
It would involved leaving the waste outside his garage overnight. The waste was duly collected..
A tenant of a flat in Surbiton Court wrote to complain that the Council had withdrawn the recycling facilities in the Surbiton Waitrose
car park. What SCRA would do about it? The acting chairman had replied that, apart from writing to the Council, there was little the Board could do.
There had been discussions between directors about the need to deal with late-, or non-payment of the recent increase in the Maintenance Charge.
It would involve the directors in a lot of extra work for which, of course, they will receive no compensation or acknowledgement.
The Premises director had (re)sent copies of the SCRA Fire Risk Manual 2018, and the previous, in house, Fire Risk Assessment, to William Martin.
He requested that they correct the assertions in their FRA Report that no such documents exist.
The Garages director had circulated the garage owners, and the residents in general, with information about the forthcoming work to replace
the asbestos roofs.
Gardens
The Gardens Director observed that it had been a bad year for the plants transferred from overwintering in the greenhouse back to the
flower-beds. Due to the poor quality of the manure/compost delivered this year, many of these plants had subsequently died.
While working on the lawn around the Japanese Pagoda tree, the acting chairman had partly uncovered more roots from the old Acacia tree.
The Gardens Director had asked the gardeners to remove them.
Work on the bushes was continuing. They were being pruned and dead wood was being cut out.
The Premises director had noticed an infestation of ants at a point at the back of the building and was treating the area with ant powder.
Once it had taken effect, he would clean the patio outside his and his neighbours’ flats.
The acting chairman had observed wild plants / weeds emerging from several places in the brickwork around the building. He had started to pull
some of them out and to apply weedkiller. He asked whether the gardeners could be instructed to go round the building systematically and
remove the weeds.
The Premises director observed that the level of filler (soil, gravel, etc) in the French drains was too high in a number of places,
threatening to bridge the damp course. He would ask the brickwork contractor to identify those places and empty the French drains accordingly.
The Gardens director had asked the gardeners to tidy up the area between the greenhouse and the boundary with the parking spaces belonging
to Surbiton Court Mews. The Gardens director also observed that the grass was now growing quickly, due to the recent abundance of rain and
warmer temperatures. The volume of lawn mower cuttings had increased and we would soon be requiring another skip.
Two dogs had been seen in the Inner Court on, and off, the lead. One of them appeared to have visited the area outside the SCRA office
and left excrement on the doormat outside.
The acting chairman had observed a delivery van parked on one of the lawns in the Inner Court a few evenings ago. He had remonstrated with
the driver, who had brushed off his complaints – and then proceeded to park on a second lawn at the other end of the Inner Court.
Premises
The Premises director had been unsuccessful in finding three firms willing to quote for the works on the damp at the flat discussed last month.
He now proposed asking the letting agent choose their own contractor instead. Liability for payment would be decided on the same basis as agreed in
their earlier discussions (i.e. if the damp was due to condensation, the owner would pay; if it was structural, SCRA would foot the bill).
The Premises director reiterated that new windows should be fitted by contractors certificated by FENSA. This would ease the path for
anyone selling their flat as purchasers would be looking for such certification. The acting chairman pointed out that repairing/replacing the
glass in the windows, as opposed to whole frames, would not require certification, though the glass would still need to carry a valid kite mark.
The Board agreed that Calibre Ltd’s quote for Legionella testing should be accepted. While it was slightly higher than the quote from
William Martin, Mr Roscow pointed out that our experience of Calibre’s previous work for us had been positive. Unlike William Martin’s
quote, Calibre’s did not propose that further investigative work might be necessary.
The acting Chairman reported that he was now waiting for CF Electrical to carry out the remedial works identified as necessary, following
receipt of the EICR report. The Premises director requested that any fuse boxes to be replaced should be certified as fire-proof.
The acting chairman had also asked CF Electrical about their rates for certifying the SCRA electrical appliances (the need for this was
identified in the Fire Risk Assessment). The Board approved their quote and agreed to commission the work.
The Services director drew attention to our programme of rolling maintenance of the staircases. Next in line were staircases 1-4 and 5-10.
After discussion, it was agreed that refurbishment of 1-4 should take priority, though 5-10 would also be done if time, weather and funds permitted.
The reports from the Fire Risk Assessment and the Inspection of the Front Doors had been received from William Martin Compliance (WMC)
and the directors had now had time to read them. Many issues had been raised and several were aired at the meeting. There was also an overall issue
with the way the Front Doors Inspection (FDI) had been conducted: although the residents had arranged for access, over half the flats had not been visited
and their front doors were reported as failing the inspection simply because the inspector had not seen the inside of the door. The Premises director
said he would take these issues up with WMC and discuss the improvements required to the FDI Report before we could accept it.
The acting chairman had started work on a spreadsheet that would collate all the actions required to make the front doors of all flats compliant.
Garages
The Garages director reported that Roofs 4 Garages had replaced the asbestos roofs of garages 55-59. Those of 11-18 would be completed by the day
after the Board meeting. The new roofing material was guaranteed for 25 years. The quality of the work was very good and the company had worked
quickly and efficiently. They had subcontracted the disposal of the asbestos to HazMove, a local specialist in such work. We would be issued with
a certificate to prove that the asbestos had been disposed of safely.
Services
The director for Parking had been in touch with PESS, our parking control company, about their proposal to introduce a more automated system
for parking control. Representatives of PESS had visited on 28 April. They explained that their system would involve installing cameras to monitor
the parking bays and all traffic entering and leaving the Court. The system was capable of reading number plates and parking permits. We could
specify our own rules about the times and for how long cars could remain parked or left in the Inner Court, how permits should be displayed
so that they are visible to the cameras, etc. Car number plates could be “white-listed” / “black-listed” on the system to avoid / ensure them
being issued with fines. The cameras would be normally be monitored from PESS’s control room, but in cases of doubt, their wardens could be
called out to resolve any ambiguities.
AOB
There had been a complaint by one resident about noise from a neighbouring flat. The sound of footfall and banging doors was coming through
and causing annoyance. One of the directors would drop them a note asking them to be more considerate.
The Gardens director thought that more unauthorised people were coming through the gates from SC2’s driveway and trespassing in our grounds.
It was recommended that the keylock code should be changed.
It was suggested that another, short, Newsletter should be issued. This could include the new code, reiteration of some of the rules, and
the date of the next Summer Party.
The acting chairman reported that the builders working on Surbiton Court Mews had installed a new lock on the iron side gate adjacent to Flat 5,
having cut through the previous lock to let some of their vehicles through to the back of their building. We now needed them to issue us with a
duplicate key.
The owner of the property on Brighton Road had granted access to Shane Williams to repair the
Surbiton Court fence adjoining their property. The work was now complete.
In view of the fact that the reports on Fire Risk and front doors were still awaited, the
Services director had decided not to start organising meetings on the 15-year plan until the scale of
the project to replace front doors was better understood.
Correspondence
The Services directtor had now emailed off-site owners and letting agents of flats about the planned inspection of
front doors for Fire Risk. Several replies had been received addressed to the Premises Director, some of which
requested notification of the most likely date and time of day the inspection of their door would take place.
Two flat owners had written regarding the regulations about replacement windows. They had been informed that any work entailed would
require approval by the Board. They were referred to the SCRA website for guidance.
The Garages Director had circulated the garage owners with a note to inform them that the work to replace the garage asbestos
roofs had been delayed until mid-May.
A flat owner had emailed the chairman about a new submission from the developers to the Council for Planning Permission to
build an extra storey on top of Tangerby House. The acting Chairman had replied.
The acting Chairman had received an email from a local Councillor, following up on the state of the bins in St Andrews Square.
The reply stated that the Waste Team would be “undertaking an assessment and analysis of the properties [in St Andrews Square]
which will then lead to recommendations.” Including “numbers of dwellings in each property and numbers of bins they should have,
which will then lead to an assessment of where the bins could be kept.”
The acting Chairman had written to PESS, our parking control contractor asking them to clarify the status of our agreement with them.
They had replied, offering to resume patrols. They also offered to arrange a meeting to discuss future arrangements.
A ground floor flat owner wrote to report water leaking from the floors above into their bathroom. The Premises had replied that he
had identified the source of the problem: a leak from the boiler in the flat two floors above. He had now contacted the owner of that
flat asking to have the leak fixed.
The Services director had been in touch with the owner of one flat. He raised the issue that both water supplies to the flat appear to
come from the tanks on the roof. The owner said he would look into the matter. The plumbing had not been changed since
he bought the flat.
Gardens
With Spring now on its way, the Gardens Director reported a significant amount of activity in the gardens.
A skip had been hired and was being filled rapidly with garden waste, including wood and clippings from dead and partly-dead bushes.
The combination of drought last summer and a snap cold spell this January had resulted in many plants dying. Many new plants would be
needed to replace them. The Gardens Director had already ordered a number, but they were yet to arrive.
The gardeners had commented that the compost they had ordered and applied this year had been of disappointing quality. It was not
retaining moisture as expected.
The fence separating the compost area from the roadway was coming apart, aggravated by construction vehicles for Surbiton Court Mews
passing too close. The Gardens Director was asking both the gardeners and Shane Williams to quote for the supply and installation
of a new fence. The gardeners had suggested that they would replace the worst panel in the fence first to check that the replacement
was robust enough. The Board agreed that, before going ahead, it would be best to wait until Surbiton Court Mews construction work was
finished.
The acting chairman had spent the last few weeks working hard on the lawns, scarifying, weeding, removing large quantities of moss and then
applying new grass seed. In the process, he had unearthed several large roots from the old Acacia tree that was now replaced by the
Japanese Pagoda tree. The other directors complimented him on the improvement in appearance, although it would be some weeks before the
new grass became established..
The Premises director suggested that a roller should be used to level the areas that had required the most weeding and where bare earth
was now exposed. The Gardens Director said she would ask the gardeners if they had a roller – or could hire one.
There had been a complaint from one resident that the view out of their flat was obscured by overgrown bushes. The Gardens Director
said that the gardeners had already been asked to cut the bushes back substantially as part of the general tidying-up after the winter.
Premises
The Premises director reported that the Fire Risk Assessment had been conducted on 15 March. The inspections of the front doors
had taken place on 23 and 24 March. While the final reports from both exercises were still awaited from William Martin Compliance, he
was able to summarise some of the findings:
The Fire Risk assessor thought, initially, that none of the cupboard doors opening on the communal areas needed to be replaced.
His report will no doubt clarify.
Nevertheless, the contents of flat owners’ cupboards might have to be inspected to check for the existence of possibly hazardous
material.
In addition, the electrical fuse boxes will have to be isolated. The Premises director had been advised by an electrician that replacing
the current boxes with metal ones (at the cost of around £500 per fuse box) should be sufficient.
The front door inspections revealed that 12 front doors contain cat flaps, which compromise the integrity of the doors against
fire. These doors will definitely have to be replaced.
Every front door is required to have at least 3 fire-certified hinges and fitted with a self-closer.
The glass in each door may have to be replaced by fire-rated glass.
Extra attachments on the doors, like door numbers and doorbells may have to be removed and attached to the adjacent wall.
The Premises director had continued to liaise with the letting agent of the flat in which damp had been reported and discussed
with the Board last month. The surveyor's report recommended removing the plaster in the affected areas and checking for breaches
of the damp course (if there is one), followed by correcting the problem by applying a waterproof seal, replastering and redecorating.
It was agreed that SCRA would obtain 3 quotes to carry out this work and the flat owner would choose which quote to accept. If it was
proven that the damp course had been breached, SCRA would foot the bill. Otherwise, payment would be the flat owner’s responsibility.
The acting Chairman reported that the latest periodic Electrical Safety inspection had been carried out by CF Electrical, who had
now produced a report and had been paid. CF Electrical had since submitted two quotes, one for correcting faults identified as “urgent”,
the other for those that would need attention in due course. The Board gave the go-ahead for the “urgent” work. The latter could be
corrected as and when the adjacent parts of the building were refurbished / repaired.
The acting chairman raised the subject of the next inspection of the water supplies for Legionella, due this year. This would
be discussed at a meeting later this year.
The Premises director reported that Dave Smith, of DMS Brickwork, had been ill recently, so the work commissioned from him had been delayed.
He was now due next week to come and repair the wall at the corner of the building. While on site, he would also attend to other jobs, like repairs
to the gate onto SC2’s driveway, and erecting poles to carry signage about the parking restrictions. The Premises director and the
acting Chairman would discuss the best locations for the signage to facilitate photographing offending parked cars.
Garages
The Garages director reported that the proposed date for the replacement of the garage roofs was now 15 May. He would email the
garage owners with details closer to the time. He asked that the roofing company could have access to the garages electricity point to
power their tools while they were on site.
No garage would be left without a roof overnight. The Board agreed that each car owner could leave their car in the inner Court
while their garage was being worked on.
AOB
The acting chairman said that he had been corresponding with PESS, the parking control company. As a long time had expired since
we had last met them face-to-face, they suggested a meeting to discuss our current requirements for parking control. The Premises and Garages directors
reported that PESS had new technology for detecting parking offenders automatically which we might find useful.
There had been enquiries about holding a Coronation party and / or an early Summer party. It was pointed out that some wine
bottles were available from last year, so the cost, if limited to drinks, need not be substantial. The Secretary suggested
a £5 contribution from those attending the Summer party to cover any extra drinks and packets of crisps. An appropriate date
might be Saturday, 6 May, Coronation Day. [After the meeting, it was agreed that the party would take place on Sunday 7 May.]
The acting chairman thought that the party could be advertised via a short newsletter.
The acting chairman reminded the Board members that the deadline was due soon for submissions objecting against Planning Permission to add
an extra storey onto Tangerby House.
Next Meeting
6.30 pm on Thursday, 11 May 2023. Please note the new time
The Premises Director had now instructed William Martin Compliance to carry out the Fire Risk Assessment and an inspection
of front doors.
Work had commenced on the white lining to demarcate our boundary with Surbiton Court Mews
Correspondence
The acting Chairman had received a reply to his FoI question to the Council: “how many properties in St Andrews Square had been told to remove their bins
from the pavement when it was not collection day (in accordance with the law) ?”. The Answer: “None”.
A flat owner had emailed about damp coming in through the wall at the corner of the building.
The Premises Director had drafted and circulated a letter on paper to all flats advising the residents of the inspections to take place on 23 and 24 March
of front doors for fire safety. He asked each resident to state their preferred date and time of day (am or pm) and the contact details of the keyholder.
At The Premises Director's request, the Services Director had emailed all landlords and letting agents with the same information, for information and
for action if the flat was going to be empty at the time of the inspection.
The Services Director had corresponded with the owner of a house on Brighton Road, to arrange a date and time for Shane Williams to come round and
repair the Surbiton Court fence that faces her back yard.
A flat owner had emailed to inform the Board that tenants would be moving into their flat on 1 March. They confirmed that the tenants had been informed
of the Rules and Regulations and asked to sign an acknowledgement that they had read them.
A problem had been reported about the electric circuits for the communal areas associated with staircase 1-4. Subsequent investigations by the electrician
were ongoing.
The Premises director circulated to the Board a letter from William Martin Compliance with information on preparing for the Fire Risk Assessment
(at this point in the meeting the Premises director announced that the Assessment would take place on Wednesday 15 March).
The Services director had emailed the Board about a water leak that had been reported in a top-floor flat. The leak had been attended to.
The acting Chairman emailed the Board requesting reactions to the deterioration of the road surface in the front of the main entrance to the Court,
brought about by the heavy construction and delivery vehicles working on the Surbiton Court Mews development.
Gardens
The Gardens Director reported that the excess shrubbery and growth in the beds on the Brighton Road side of the building had now been cleared away.
All but one of the flower beds had now had manure applied..
The weather over the previous month had varied from dry and freezing to wet and fairly mild. As a result, it was still not clear which of
the bushes in the inner Court have died and which were still dormant. The Gardens director advised waiting a little longer before acting to
remove the “dead” plants.
Two panels in the enclosure next to the greenhouse were falling apart and would be replaced.
Because of the extremes of weather over the Winter, 85 out of 140 plants in the greenhouse had died. Problems with the heater and concerns
about using electricity at the new, expensive, rates were likely to have been a contributory factor. It was proposed that the heater should
be replaced.
The Gardens director had purchased 55 Geranium seedlings in “plugs” at a good price. These would be put into small pots and kept in the greenhouse
until Spring had arrived.
The acting chairman had been testing the new scarifier on a small patch of lawn. He now proposed doing a larger test. If successful, he would then
use it, starting with the outer lawns, before the Summer. The Gardens director pointed out that the scarification process would need to be
followed by use of a rake to remove any moss that had not been caught in the scarifier’s collection box.
The Gardens director had bought a supply of weedkiller and some lawn feed to use on the lawns after scarifying. The acting chairman said he
would then apply the grass seed – after a suitable wait.
Premises
The Premises director had instructed DMS Brickwork to remedy the problems in the brickwork at the corner of the building. They were
waiting for drier weather before starting work. Once they were on site, DMS would also repair the lock on the gate onto SC2’s driveway,
at the end of the path from hallway 21-26. They would also be asked to insert metal poles in the parking area to hold the parking signs.
The Premises Director informed the Board that William Martin Compliance would now be coming on Wednesday, 15 March to conduct the Fire
Risk Assessment. He would ask the Assessor for advice on having cupboard doors inspected (in addition to the front doors). To get best
value from the assessor’s visit,the Premises Director asked the Board members to submit further questions for the assessor to consider.
The Premises director confirmed that the front doors inspections would take place on Weds/Thurs 23/24 March. He had now circulated a
letter asking each resident to identify which dates and times would be convenient for their front door inspection (the door frame and
both sides of the door would be examined). A large number of responses from residents, landlords and letting agents have now been
received, but he was still 20 responses short. He then produced a list of these. Each director present identified which residents
on the list they would contact on the Premises director’s behalf.
The acting chairman had invited the electrician to submit a quote to carry out an EICR (electrical safety) inspection, which is
due this year. The electrician had responded and the Board approved his quote.
The acting chairman expressed concern that the heavy traffic associated with the building work at Surbiton Court Mews had badly
damaged the tarmac around the grating above the soakaway in the forecourt near the entrance of Surbiton Court. He had placed a bollard
in the middle of the damaged area – with mixed success. He wondered whether it should be repaired before it got any worse. The Premises
director said that a full repair would be expensive for such a small area and advised leaving it until tarmac repairs were scheduled
for a number of other areas in the Court. He also thought that while building work continued at SC Mews, any repairs would not last
for long. If required, Shane Williams could be asked to carry out a “cold fill” as a temporary repair.
The Services director had followed up the earlier reports of damp in a number of flats, by taking further measurements with the moisture
meter. The first flat's owners reported that they had not had a recurrence of the mould which had been of concern earlier. Moisture readings
were still quite high near the window, but this could well have been due to condensation. In the next flat, there appeared to have been a
slight reduction, but the readings were still too high to confirm that the problem had been cured. The flat owner had not used a dehumidifier
since the last set of readings, but agreed do so for a week or so before the next readings were taken. In the final flat, there were a few
high readings, but they were very localised. It seemed advisable to wait until ambient temperatures were high enough to reduce the
likelihood of condensation; if the high readings persisted, that would increase the probability that there were structural problems.
The Premises director had been liaising with the owner and letting agent of yet another flat over the question of damp. He had
engaged the services of a surveyor whose report was presented at the meeting. Consideration of the report's “Comments and
Recommendations” is ongoing.
The need to address the 15-year Plan was again raised. The Premises director said he was already addressing one (large) item: he had been
in the process of identifying specialist repointing companies. He thought the work repointing Surbiton Court might be split into
5 separate phases to meet various constraints: financial, logistic, etc. The Services director said he would contact the Board members
to organise a meeting with the sole purpose of discussing the 15-year Plan.
The acting Chairman pointed out that the inspection of the water system for Legionella was about due again. He would approach Calibre,
who last did the inspection in 2018, for a quote.
Garages
The Garages director reported that proposed date for the replacement of the garage roofs had slipped. The work was now scheduled
for the first half of May. He would email the garage owners with details closer to the time.
Services
The acting Chairman reported that the light fittings in the bin areas needed a thorough clean. This might be more difficult
than usual as one of the fittings was damaged. The Services Director said he would inspect and then liaise with the cleaners.
AOB
The acting chairman initiated a discussion about the qualifications SCRA would expect professional services contractors to
have when we commissioned work from them. This applied especially when significant expenditure was involved. The directors owed
a duty of care to SCRA members (the leaseholders) to spend money wisely and to ensure no harm came to the property as a result of
bad advice or workmanship. One precedent set in the past was the policy to employ members of RICS (the Royal Institute of Chartered
Surveyors) when the services of a surveyor were required.
The Premises director acknowledged this, but pointed out that while large businesses and public bodies would insist on
RICS surveyors, the Royal Institute were not the only organisation that provided training, qualifications and certification in
the buildings and construction industry. An example was the CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building) who also trained and certified
buildings surveyors.
The Company Sectretary had received a letter from our accountants, PB Associates, reminding us that the 2022/23 financial year
had just ended and that we should be sending the paperwork necessary for them to prepare the Annual Accounts and carry out
the other statutory actions on behalf of SCRA.
On the subject of white lines to demarcate our boundary with Surbiton Court Mews, the acting chairman had arranged for
temporary lines to be painted in the next week or two.
The Services Director reported that a faulty CCTV camera had now been replaced and the FreeView aerial amplifiers reprogrammed.
Correspondence
The buildings surveyor who visited Flats 7, 9, 37 and 60 to inspect them for damp, had sent an interim report on 13/01 and a full one on 26/01.
The Premises Director confirmed that he had now commissioned William Martin Compliance to carry out the fire assessment and doors assessment.
The letting agents for one flat letting agents) had written about "rising damp". In the exchange of correspondence with the Premises Director,
they accepted the proposal that a surveyor working for SCRA would inspect and report on the cause of the damp.
The acting chairman had written to the Council under the FOI Act requesting information about the bins in St Andrews Square.
Gardens
The Gardens Director reported that the gardeners had begun to remove the moss from areas of tarmac around the Court, using hoes (jet-washing
would have tended to break up the surface). The areas would then be treated with moss-killing spray.
Pruning the shrubs and bushes was continuing on those plants that were positively identified as being alive. More time was required for
those that appeared to be dead as they might revive as Spring advanced.
The job of applying manure to the beds had been delayed for a couple of weeks and would now take place in the last week of February or
the first week of March.
The acting chairman expressed concern about a number of vans running over the brick edging and onto the lawns near entrances 11-17 and 54-59.
If it had rained shortly before, muddy ruts were created in the grass. He wondered whether the bricks should be replaced with a higher barrier,
or low fencing.
Premises
The acting chairman had engaged in a discussion about unauthorised parking with the men working for the developer of SC Mews and by Power
Networks. There had been no consultation and little regret expressed. This was followed by Power Networks digging up part of our forecourt,
with no request for permission - or notice. The project manager for Power Networks had subsequently apologised, but there had been little
follow-up.
The Premises Director notified the Board that he was about to instruct William Martin Compliance to come and carry out the exercises to
conduct a Fire Risk Assessment, and to inspect the Fire Doors. They would need two days in total to inspect the doors. The residents of the flat
would be notified and asked to provide access to the inspectors, either by being at home or arranging for a keyholder.
There was some concern about how the “Responsible Person” will be affected in future. This is a role that was described in the old Fire
Regulations, but assumes higher significance with the new laws. In particular, would it be covered by the Directors Liability insurance and
what special obligations would be placed on the person with that role? William Martin Compliance would be asked to provide guidance.
The acting chairman expressed concern that the doors to cupboards would be excluded; in some cases the cupboards could contain inflammable
materials or live electrical equipment. The Premises Director said he would ask William Martin to advise.
Services
The Services Director reported that a failed CCTV camera had been replaced. He had asked the contractors, Neville Aerials, to re-program
the FreeView TV aerial amplifiers when they visited and that had now been done.
AOB
One of the residents had reported incidents that had taken place over the previous weekend. They involved an inebriated driver of a car coming from
St Andrews Square late at night, whose behaviour had been very unpleasant. The Board agreed that they would monitor the situation and take steps
to prevent similar incidents happening again.
The Services Director observed that work on the 15-year Maintenance Plan needed to begin soon and invited the directors to participate. The Premises Director
requested a copy of the Plan spreadsheet. It was suggested that the status of the Plan should be reported as an agenda item at every Board meeting
until further notice.
The Premises Director had instructed a local buildings surveyor to inspect and report on the damp patches in four flats.
He had also now delivered to the Board two quotes he had received for a Fire Safety Risk Assessment (see Premises, below).
Correspondence
A number of emails had been received from a landlord and a tenant regarding noises in the plumbing system. The acting chairman and
the Premises Director were following these up.
The new owners of a flat reported that a wall in their bedroom was constantly wet. Their flat had been added to the list for inspection
by the surveyor (see “Premises”, below)..
The acting chairman had agreed this year's insurance premium for the buildings.
A resident had reported a gas leak near in one of the stairwells. The Premises Director called in British Gas, who located the leak
in a pipe connected to the meter in one of the outside cupboards. They fixed it the same day.
During the 10-day freezing spell, several residents wrote to report that the water supply to their bathrooms had stopped. Shane Williams
had inspected, but there was not much he could do until the pipes thawed out - and then it proved that he wasn't needed.
After the freeze, the hallways were awash due to heavy condensation. This was reported by a number of residents.
The Director for Garages and Parking had been in correspondence with a number of garage owners concerning payments into the garage
fund to meet the cost of replacing the asbestos roofs.
Gardens
The Gardens Director reported that the main activity of the gardeners at present was pruning all the shrubs and bushes in the Court.
If there were any doubts about the viability of a plant, branches that showed green shoots were excepted from the pruning. This would
help identify plants – and parts of plants – that were still alive. The dead parts would then be removed in the Spring.
Next to be pruned would be the Wisteria, especially the low-level shoots.
The Insurance Director observed that there was a considerable growth of moss on some parts of the tarmac. She wondered whether it could be
removed by jet-washing. The Gardens Director said that the jet-wash was likely to break up the tarmac. A less drastic way would be to spray
with moss-killer or Jeyes fluid
Manure would be applied to the beds either the last week in January or the first week in February. The Gardens Director assured the Board that
there would be no lingering smells when this had been done.
Premises
The acting chairman was concerned about the poor state of the tarmac and roadway adjacent to the boundary with Surbiton Court Mews. It
was suggested that we wait until construction on the Mews site was finished, as some of the damage was due to the traffic involved with
the construction.
The acting chairman suggested that we should commission the painting of white lines to demarcate our edge of the boundary. The boundary
wall was due to be demolished and rebuilt. White lines would decrease the risk of encroachment by SC Mews across the boundary.
Various members of the Board pointed out that one of these two activities should include inspection of certain private cupboards as well.
In particular, those that contained gas and/or electrical equipment.
Mr C Redman had visited on 11 January and inspected four of the flats in which damp patches had been reported. He had since sent short list of
recommended activities (like clearing space in sections of the French drains and walls close to the damp proof course) that we could get on with
while he prepared his full report – which might require further visits. He had also ordered a moisture meter which we should use to take
readings of all the affected walls over a period to see how they reacted under different weather conditions.
Services
The Services Director reported that he had contacted Neville Aerials about the CCTV camera that was not working. Nevilles had visited
and confirmed that the camera that had failed (due to ingress of water in the stormy weather before Christmas), rather than cabling, etc.
They had submitted quotes to acquire and install a new camera. The Board gave their agreement to the expenditure.
Nevilles had also written to alert us to the fact that our existing FreeView
aerial amplifiers need re-programming. This is due to the fact that two frequencies in the 700MHz band from the Crystal Palace transmitter
are now being used increasingly for 5G mobile phone communications. The TV stations that were using these frequencies have been moved to
other wavebands. The reprogramming is required to ensure that our FreeView reception does not suffer interference from the 5G activity.
Nevilles provided a quote to reprogram the amplifiers. The Board agreed to the reprogramming and to pay for the work.
AOB
The acting chairman reiterated his view that we should keep an eye on the boundary wall with SC Mews in the next few weeks in case
of encroachment during the final phase of construction.
The Services Director recommended that certain members of the Board should now form a sub-committee to go through Mr Hallas' Surveyor's
report on the buildings and on his recommended schedule of works to be carried out over the next 15 years, with a view to turning
it into a fully costed, hard plan.
The Services Director also suggested that some of the directors should visit PB Associates, our Accountants and introduce themselves
to the members of staff who handle SCRA business. This was thought to be a good idea; the Secretary agreed to arrange it.