Dear Lessee,
The current Board took over during April this year and appointed HMS Property Management Services as Managing Agent on May 1st. https://hmsl.net/. Since then, the Board and HMS have been very busy, so we thought it was time to report back to lessees on the progress so far and the plans for the new year.
By the year-end, the Reserve Fund is predicted to stand at around £200K with many necessary jobs completed during the year and many more planned for the New Year. And the work accomplished thus far and planned for next year will be achieved within existing budgets. However, next year, we face high costs with an estimated £80K + Vat for external decorating alone plus other major works outlined in this newsletter. Therefore, it is essential to hold a good reserve fund and a service charge to maintain The Oasis properly. The service charge and contribution to the Reserve Fund will remain the same for 2022 as they are for 2021. That is £2437.37 Service Charge and £681.82 contribution to the reserve fund.
Due to the various lockdowns, there was no AGM held last year. We thought about having one this year before Christmas but decided to delay it until March in the New Year when the accounts for 2021 are complete. Also, Covid 19 is still around, and with Christmas and the holidays nearly upon us, we’ve all got plenty of family things to manage.
A concern that members brought to our attention was how The Oasis looked, with many small things needing attention. Keeping up to date with minor works is vital for how The Oasis is perceived generally. And it’s good for all of us to know we live in an apartment block that is up together and somewhere we can be proud to say is our home or second home as the case may be.
Minor works and tasks completed this year
1. Redecoration of the back gate by the bbq, the Poole Road gate, the main entrance woodwork, front door and side panels for A Block
2. Management of the pond, dealing with a much-neglected state of affairs
3. Decorative globe fitted to the water fountain in the upper pond
4. Replanting the flower beds on each side of the main entrance
5. Providing uniform low wattage warm white 5-watt bulbs throughout the estate and making repairs as required to the globes
6. New lights on the bridge and then later reducing the brightness
7. Ordering a new shed with the old one, which was a Health & Safety disaster, taken away
8. Clean the lead Roof on the A Block entrance portico
9. Steam clean in the Leisure Complex and increased cleaning regime going forward
10. Reappoint our original pool contractor who knows the pool and its history
11. Deep clean and grout repointing throughout the pool tiled surround
12. Fit new shower curtains, showerheads and some shower motors
13. Gym equipment serviced, and all electrical equipment and appliances in the Leisure Centre PAT tested
14. Health &Safety compliance within the swimming pool hall and the Leisure Complex
15. Installing open notice boards by the closed boards for residents to post their notices
16. Web site update and securing better domain names, https://theoasispoole.com and http://theoasispoole.co.uk
17. PAT test Christmas lights
Additional works and professional surveys this year
Repair and Renewal of Drain Channel across the incline
More than a Minor Work was the long-overdue repair to the drains across the gradient leading from the front car parks to the rear. The situation was a dangerous trip hazard, a cause of flooding because the drain wasn’t connected to anything and was blocked with bits of concrete. Also, the loose drain covers rattled when cars drove over them, and the whole thing looked messy. Not anymore.
Repair and Renewal of Lead Flashing On A Block Roof
The flashing has deteriorated around the Velux windows in the A Block roof and resulted in water ingress.
New Boiler and Water Softener
The big boiler that drives the five showers in the Leisure Complex was 30 years old and completely silted up. A new one has been installed, and a water softener provides soft water for the showers and sinks in the leisure complex. (Not the swimming pool). Soft water will stop the boiler, pipes, taps and showerheads from furring up and gradually clear the deposits that have accumulated over the years.
Gutters, Roof Valleys and Drains
Cosy Guttering carried out a long overdue clearing of gutters and roof valleys and rodding of drains. They have been retained to do this work twice a year going forwards. Their recent work has, in turn, highlighted gutter repairs that need attention.
Carpet Cleaning
Quarterly cleaning of the ground floor and lift carpets has been reinstated. All the carpets throughout both blocks will be kept clean as well, albeit they don’t require cleaning quarterly.
Pond Life
The pond needed some attention during the year. Hands-on management and regular maintenance will guard against deterioration of the pond environment in future. Rather than calling on the pond man when things have got out of hand, he has been awarded a regular maintenance contract to ensure the pond is kept in tip-top condition.
Fire Risk Assessment
A new up to date Fire and Health and Safety Risk Assessment of the communal areas has been carried out. There are very few actions required, which is excellent news. Within the cover letter and enclosed there is further information regarding the actions required and any policies in place.
Please note if the smoke alarms are triggered, the professional advice is to STAY PUT and not evacuate. However, if you let your property, please ensure your tenants and agents are fully informed of the STAY PUT POLICY.
Leisure Complex and Swimming Pool Safety Report
The inspector expressed concern over the quarry tile floors being a slip hazard when wet and the step up and down into the shower stalls also being a trip hazard. However, the arrangements we have in place for cleaning, displaying rules and regulations, the booking system for swimming spots and fire safety were considered more than adequate.
Asbestos Survey
The surveyor was very thorough, taking some 22 samples from the fabric of the building. There are no further actions to follow. However, it has to be presumed that inaccessible areas may contain asbestos. Due to this finding, the report will be commissioned every seven years or in the event of major works where there is presumed asbestos.
Car Park Survey
Two contractors were invited to survey the car parks and provide quotations. As a result, some remedial work will be carried out next year.
Lift Maintenance
Lifts are invariably an ongoing headache in apartment blocks. We have had a few breakdowns with the A Block lifts, but we have an excellent maintenance contract, and Total Lifts attend very quickly when a director reports a fault. We asked Total Lifts to survey the A Block lifts and make recommendations to improve reliability instead of waiting for the lifts to break down. We actioned their professional suggestions and have spent around £2,500.00 + Vat on additional work this year.
Tree Survey
Rather than appoint a Tree Surgeon to carry out the much need tree survey for which they all charge a hefty fee, HMS advised the Board to appoint an independent consultant. As a result, tree Call Consulting Ltd was appointed, https://www.treecall.co.uk/. A professional survey was carried out, which identified the felling of four trees and various cutbacks and pruning. Download the survey from the Oasis website. https://theoasispoole.com/tree-at-the-oasis/.
Balcony Survey
Several balconies need remedial work. Where the work is required, it’s usually on the balcony above where the problems have occurred. The managing agent with a most reputable roofing company with years of experience with balcony work has carried out an in-depth survey to ascertain the right plan of approach.
The Lead Roof over the A Block Portico
A lead work specialist has conducted a survey and submitted a very reasonable quote to carry out the necessary repair and remedial work.
Line marking
The car park space marking throughout the car parks and the estate is not in good order and needs redoing, with the old markings first burnt off. The car park line marking at the front of A Block and on the Lindsay Road side is very shabby and will be prepared and completed first. The scope of work will include the double yellow lines and the steps by the incline. The car parks on the Poole Road side will be dealt with after some potholes are repaired, the eucalyptus tree felled, and the adjacent car park space reinstated.
Looking forward to 2022
The various works that have come about following the various surveys and inspections this year will go forward in the New Year for completion. They are;
1. Balcony works
2. Repairs to the lead roof
3. Line marking
4. Tree work
In addition, further work scheduled for 2022
The redecoration of the two A Block staircase areas
Both staircases look shabby and will be redecorated in January 2022, before the overall internal decorating scheduled for 2023.
Installation of an external light
Members have asked if a light can be installed outside the side door in A Block on the Poole Road side.
External Decoration
The Section 20 process is already in due process. The Board has accepted the advice from HMS to appoint a surveyor to adopt our existing specification, run the tender process, and manage the works. Of course, price is always a factor but so too is value and the quality of the finished job.
The Gardens
The Gardening Team has a budget of four hours per week. They work hard and keep the gardens in good shape, but we need their services for additional tasks. Such as regular cleaning of brickwork on the buildings and walls, especially some balconies. Cleaning pavias, slabs and pathways more regularly. New planting, watering and other horticultural management. To attend to the new flower beds by the entrance was very difficult to achieve within their allotted four hours per week. As part of our policy of continuous improvement, we will increase our Gardening Team’s budget to ensure The Oasis estate is always in first-class condition.
The Leisure Complex
The shower rooms, toilet and gym, are 30 years old and it shows. The Board intends to re-visit the Leisure Complex’s refurbishment and address the health and safety issues around the floors and steps into the shower stalls. And will do so when the other various works have been fully costed and scheduled.
Electric Car Charging Points
New build apartment blocks and houses will soon be required to include ECCP’s in their build specifications. The same may eventually be the case for existing apartment blocks. It will not be wise to allow The Oasis to lag behind the market and would subsequently hurt our values. Therefore, the Board explores the options and makes sure it is fully briefed for the future, which might be nearer than you think.
The Freehold
According to our lease, the freehold should have passed to the lessees when the last flat was sold. However, that transfer didn’t happen, which was not a unique scenario.
Our Managing Agents who have some experience and success in this area are conducting negotiations on our behalf, and we expect them to be successful. The Freehold According to our lease, the freehold should have passed to The Oasis Pool (Management) Ltd (which of course is owned by the lessees) when the last flat was sold. However, that transfer didn’t happen, which was not a unique scenario. Our Managing Agents who have some experience in this area are conducting negotiations on our behalf and matters will be explained to all the lessees at the AGM. Meanwhile, Martin Grant Homes does wish to invoice and collect the 1st April 2021 ground rent and will also want to do the same on 1st April 2022. Please ensure you put funds aside for these expenses. It may be that Martin Grant Homes invoices and collects directly from you or they may request our Managing Agents to assist them.
Our Managing Agents have advised Martin Grant Homes that it will be The Oasis Board and themselves that has organised the 2021 – 2022 buildings insurance – that too is contained in the lease, so at present our Managing Agents are ensuring all legal matters that are contained in lease are executed correctly and professionally.
Kind regards,
The Directors
The Oasis (Poole) Management Limited
